Always Trust your Instincts
by ILoveJess1
Summary: UPDATED!Rory and Jess were together but when Jess started to feel things he never felt before, instead of admitting it was love, he ran away. But seven years later he's back. So is Rory...but she's not alone.
1. Killer Trees and Frankenstein

Disclaimer:I do not own any of the characters with the exception of the characters that I make up.  
  
CHAPTER ONE - KILLER TREES AND FRANKENSTEIN  
  
I'll admit it, there were a few days of our relationship that I thought we wouldn't make it. Like when he  
went to meet my grandma. But there've also been many many good times. Lately our relationship just seems to   
be getting better and better. We've been together for a little over four months. See, I know I'm in love with him,  
but I've never told him. Partially because, I don't want to freak him out if he doesn't feel the same way. So, I   
keep that little piece of information to myself. I wouldn't want to scare him off. Well, tonight Mom's at work, someone messed with the shifts, she had to go straight to work from dinner with the grandparents. I just got out of the shower and got dressed in my pajamas. It's storming outside,now I usually like storms, but usually I'm not alone. In fact, other than once, I don't think I've ever been alone in a storm. I could hear the thunder, it was so loud that I thought our house was being run over by a train. The lightning lit up the sky, and the wind was blowing so hard, you could see it in the trees. I heard the thunder roar and the power went out.  
  
"Agh!" My hand flew to my mouth. "Ooh,I don't like this one bit."I murmured, as I tried to maneuver my way   
around the coffee table. I grabbed a flashlight. "But at least I'm prepared." I turned it on, I shined it at the clock  
to see what time it was 12:04 a.m.I sighed, maybe I should try to go to sleep. I heard a noise come from the  
kitchen, I jumped. Stop, you're just freaking yourself out. I slowly made my way towards the kitchen.I was shining the light when I heard something slam against the livingroom window. My eyes widened, it was a tree branch.  
"Okay storm, go away." I said aloud. Not like it would actually do any good, but it was worth a try. I heard   
something at the back door again. I turned quickly, just in time to see my flashlight turn off.  
"What?" The stupid flashlight quit working. How am I going to see? The thunder roared again. "That's it." I made   
my way to the kitchen, to grab the cell phone on the counter. I knew their power was probably out too, but I was trying anyway. I pushed the first digit causing the numbers to light up so that I could see to dial them.  
  
"Hello?" Came the voice on the other end.  
  
"Jess?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah, hi."  
  
"Hi,"  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked.  
  
"Uh, catching up on phone calls."  
  
"Uh huh, so you usually return calls at midnight?"  
  
"Well, not usually, you're just special. Isn't your power out?"  
  
"No, storming, but our powers not out. Why?"  
  
"I was just wondering. So, what are you doing?" I asked.  
  
"Not sleeping."  
  
"Sorry." I grimaced.  
  
He chuckled,"Don't be. I was just giving you a hard time." he said.  
  
"Oh, you're so nice." I teased.  
  
"I know. Any particular reason that you decided to make a social call at midnight?" he asked.  
  
"Well, uh, seemed as good a time as any. I said. "You know, people never take the time out to call people at  
midnight. I don't understand that. What's wrong with midnight? Now Cinderella, she had the right idea." I   
rambled endlessly.  
  
He stifled a laugh by clearing his throat. "I see."  
  
"Now granted, she should have left her number or something, or at least her name, then he could have used a  
phonebook." I went on.  
  
He rubbed his chin smiling, "Yep, the guy never claimed to be a mind reader."  
  
"Right." The tree whacked the window again. It startled me causing me to slightly gasp as I turned to look at   
the window.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing."  
  
"Why'd you do that?"  
  
"Oh, no reason, just, uh, you know storms are really pretty. I used to like to watch them, but it knocked the  
power out.Then my flashlight quit working. But I don't - I like storms." I rambled again.  
  
He finally figured it out, "You're afraid of the storm."  
  
"Fine, I confess! But I usually like storms, but I'm alone, and it's dark, and the tree's trying to get me and I   
swear Frankenstein is in the kitchen."  
  
This time he couldn't control himself, he accidentally chuckled.  
  
"It's not funny.They're trying to kill me!" I protested.  
  
"Why are they trying to kill you?" he asked, half amused.  
  
"I don't know.Oh, yes I do! In first grade they sent a tree home to plant, and I planted it, but I didn't water it  
so it died. Now it wants revenge! And there are no witnesses!"  
  
"Would you like me to come save you from the homicidal tree?"  
  
"Oh, could you?"  
  
"Sure, I'll be there in a few minutes. Tell Frankenstein to wait five minutes." he said.  
  
"Thank you." I said with a smile. I was glad he was coming over.  
  
"You're welcome. I'll be there in a minute."  
  
Within two minutes Jess got there.  
  
"Hi." I greeted him.  
  
"Hello, glad to see you still alive."  
  
"I'm very fortunate." I nodded matter-of-factly.  
  
We went in to the livingroom and sat on the couch.  
  
"So, no horror movie moments?" he asked.  
  
"No, luckily Colonel Clucker never saw Chuckie." I said.  
  
"That's good." he said.  
  
"I'm honestly not afraid of storms usually." I told him.  
  
"Just because you were alone?"  
  
"Right. Storms are usually pretty, but not when vengeful trees are out to get you, and Frankenstein has taken  
up residence in your kitchen. Then, not so pretty."  
  
He wrapped his arms around me. Wow, Jess thought, if any other girl would've done this I would have thought it  
was annoying, but with Rory, it's cute.  
  
"Thank you for coming over." I said.  
  
"No problem at all." he replied.  
  
We sat there for a few minutes talking, then I yawned.  
  
"Tired?" he asked.  
  
"Just a lack of oxygen travelling to my brain."  
  
"I'll take that as a yes." he said.  
  
"Maybe a little, a big little, but I'm fine."  
  
"Why don't you go to bed?"  
  
"I can't." I said.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I wouldn't be able to fall asleep." I told him.  
  
"You can't sleep through a storm?"  
  
"I can sleep through a storm, its the falling asleep thing that's the problem."  
  
"What do you usually do when it storms at night?" he asked.  
  
"Mom and I usually sleep in the same room." I informed him.  
  
"So, you have to wait until six o' clock to go to sleep?"  
  
"Unless the storm stops, I can't fall asleep alone."I said.  
  
"Well, I'm not your mom, but I could sleep with you. Wait, that didn't come out right." he said. I smiled. "You   
know what I mean."  
  
"Yes, I do. I was just giving you a hard time."  
  
"Well, aren't you nice. And after I risked my life to save you from the killer tree and Frankenstein." he teased.  
  
"Yes, and I appreciate it." The thunder roared again loud. I clung to Jess. "If the offer still stands..."  
  
"Yes, it does. Let's go to bed." Wow, that's the first time I've said that and meant it in just the sleeping way,   
thought Jess.  
  
The lights flickered, "Weird." I said.  
  
"Well, at least the lightning has the room nicely lit."  
  
"It's good for something then. Of course it is the lightning and wind's fault that the lights are out, but still..."  
  
He kissed me, "You talk a lot." he teased.  
  
"Hey," I kissed him, "I resent that. Yes, I am glibber than most."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't like it any other way." he said.  
  
"That's good." I yawned again. "I have no energy."  
  
"Are you energised enough to walk to your bed?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know, guess we'll find out. If I topple over, then no, but we shall see."  
  
He stood up, "I have a better idea." he said.  
  
"What's that?" I asked.  
  
He slid an arm under my legs and the other around my back and picked me up. I smiled at him."This." he said,   
and carried me in to my room. He sat me on my bed.  
  
"Ooh, that was fun!" I beamed.  
  
"And you got to save your energy."  
  
He climbed into bed and we got under the covers. In a way it was strange, but a good strange.  
  
He kissed me, "Good night, Rory."  
  
"Good night, Dodger." I replied softly.  
  
He smiled at the memory. He wrapped his arms around me.This is nice, he thought. I felt so safe in his arms.  
  
At six o' clock, Lorelai pulled in. "What's Jess' car doing here?" she wondered quietly. She walked in the house.   
she walked quietly down the hall and peeked inside Rory's room. Sure enough, there they were, asleep, facing  
the door.Jess' arm fastened securely around Rory. She smiled softly and tiptoed back down the hall. She figured  
she better call Luke, considering he probably had no clue where Jess was. Just so he doesn't worry. She dialed  
the number to the diner.  
  
"Luke's." Came the scruffy voice on the other end.  
  
"Hey, Luke." she replied.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Something wrong?" she asked him.  
  
"I don't know where Jess is." he said.  
  
"Yeah, that's why I was calling. I wanted to tell you not to worry, he's here." she told him.  
  
"What? He's there? How is that not worry?"  
  
"Chill out, Starship Captain. They're both fully clothed and I didn't get a bad feeling about it. I got a good vibe."  
  
"Where is he?" he asked.  
  
"He's asleep. Like most normal people are at this hour."  
  
"Are you going to wake him up?" he asked.  
  
"No, I'm not."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because, it's six o' clock on a Saturday morning. That would be mean. If I weren't so tired, I'd probably flip a  
little more, but I got a good vibe and I'm tired."  
  
"You got a good vibe? How could Jess being asleep at your house - "  
  
"In Rory's room." she specified.  
  
"Oh, nice, Jess being asleep in Rory's room, how could that be good?"  
  
"I imagine I'll find out when I wake up." she said.  
  
"You're going to go to sleep, with them, there, in her room?"  
  
"Yes. Always trust your instincts. My instincts say good."  
  
"If you say so." he said.  
  
"Yes, I do. Okay, well, stop worrying, and good night." she said.  
  
"Thanks for calling. Bye."  
  
They hung up and she put the phone back on the hook and wandered upstairs.  
  
At about nine o' clock, Jess woke up. Then he realized he was still with me."Shoot, I fell asleep." he mumbled.  
  
"Hmm?" I acknowledged his presence.  
  
He kissed me, "I should go. I'll see you later." he said.  
  
"Mmm, night night." I mumbled incoherently.  
  
He smiled at me and walked out, quietly shutting the door behind him. Then he got in his car and went home.  
  
At one o' clock, Mom woke up. "Hey sleepyhead." I greeted her.  
  
"Hey, hon." she staggered down the stairs.  
  
"Did you sleep well?" I asked her.  
  
"Yes, I did. Did you guys sleep well?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, we - you guys?" I stopped.  
  
"Uh huh, you and Jess, you guys." she said, informing me that she knew about our sleepover.  
  
"I can explain that." I said.  
  
"Oh, good. Talk please."  
  
"Last night it was stormy and the power went out and the tree was trying to come in the house to seek   
revenge. Plus, there was this horrible noise coming from the kitchen, and I couldn't sleep. So, Jess came over."  
  
"I see." she said.  
  
"And he went in to lay down with me because you weren't here and he accidentally fell asleep." I further   
explained.  
  
"So," she started once I finished rattling, "did you sleep good?"  
  
"Honestly, I can't remember a time that I've ever slept better. It was nice." I said with a soft smile.  
  
Well, thought Lorelai, looks like she's in love.  
  
*  
A/N: Okay, please review and tell me if you like it! This isn't going to be a fluff story if you were worried about that, this is just the calm before the storm. I had to put this chapter, because I already have the general idea for this story, and I felt that if I didn't put some sort of event in here, my story would have never come together. As the story unfolds it will all come together, but that's why I made this somewhat fluffy chapter. I have the next two chapters written, I just need to type them. PLEASE REVIEW!! I need to know I'm not just writing this for my own health!! Thank you! 


	2. A Bad Feeling

Disclaimer: I don't own the Gilmore Girls, and now that Jess is gone, I'm proud to say that! Yes, I have a huge attitude with the show! If he comes back I'll apologize, but for now I'm holding a grudge! :)  
  
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS THE RIGHT TIME  
  
A/N: Hey, I hope you guys like this story! I feel kinda bad because this is supposed to be a more dramatic chapter (although if you've read any of my stuff you'll probably agree that most anything would be more dramatic, and it's definitely more dramatic than the fluff chapter) but I'm not in a very dramatic mood, so I really just feel silly writing it, so if the drama aspect is not there, I'm sorry!! And I know I've said that I'm hating the writing in Rory's POV thing, but apparently I'm a masochist ;) because I started this one this way, and I've changed almost every story that I started that way, so I decided to just suffer through this one.  
  
Thanks to LitJunkie, Arianna, Samantha, Mrs. Mariano, Kaila:) and hehehe() this one's dedicated to you guys!!  
  
Grr, okay, this was SUPPOSED to be out sooner, but my mom banned me from the internet for a week, no, I didn't do anything wrong, I wasn't even grounded, just banned! AND, as if that wasn't a big enough obstacle, my dad CANCELLED the internet. So, that's why it took longer than I wanted to get this out, and if you're not Mrs. Mariano you probably didn't even know that it was supposed to be out, so I probably didn't need to explain:) But I did intend to get this posted on the 9th, sorry for the delay, blame my parents:(  
  
Now I need to go read all of the updates I missed. So, enjoy! And keep in mind, I AM nice, read the disclaimer!   
  
NOTE: They DID go to the Distillers concert, but it was under different circumstances, he wasn't not calling or showing up when he said he would, he just got the tickets.  
  
Here's Chapter two~ A BAD FEELING  
  
*  
  
Jess and I have spent more and more time together lately. We're growing really close. I'm beginning to wonder how much longer I can hold the 'I love you', it's been five months since we first got together. In the beginning, yes, it was bumpy. He seemed slightly jealous of Dean, then there was the black eye, when he avoided me. But now we've gotten through all of that, and now our relationship is about as close to perfect as possible. I dont think it's humanly possible to love a person more than I love Jess. I'm going to tell him soon, I'm just waiting for the right time. Even though I know you're never supposed to do that, because if you're waiting for the right time to do something, it never comes. Jess had just brought me home, we had spent the whole day together. It was ten o' clock on Saturday night, Jess walked me to my door like he always does. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was different, but I didn't know what. It almost made me want to tell Jess I loved him, but I stifled it because this isn't how I wanted to do it, so, I put it off. Again.  
  
"Well, thank you, I had a good time. Of course we always do, but still..." I smiled at him.  
  
"Yeah, we do. I had a good time too." he agreed. But when he looked into my eyes just before kissing me, I thought I saw a flash of something in his eyes. I ignored it and kissed him. After a minute we broke away. This time the look was too strong not to notice. This look was a mixture of emotions. It was like fear and regret and well, it looked like there was love ih his gaze, too. It was a mix between happy and sad, if the look would have been words it would be the biggest oxymoron ever. I had never seen it before, so I didn't know if it was good, or bad, and I didn't know how to react to it. So, I didn't. I just smiled and and gave him another kiss.  
  
"I wish I didn't have to let you leave yet." I said.  
  
"And I wish I didn't have to leave." he replied.  
  
"See any shooting stars or wishing wells?"  
  
"Unfortunatley not," he briefly glanced at the ground before returning his gaze back to my eyes. He stroked my hair and pulled me in for another kiss.  
  
I ran my fingers through his hair and gave him one last kiss, "Good night, Jess."  
  
"Good bye, Rory."  
  
I gave him my brightest smile, and disappeared into the house.  
  
"Hey, hon," Mom greeted me.  
  
"Hi," I said, distractedly as I walked over to the window.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked me.  
  
"Wait a minute." I said.  
  
"Okay,"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Closing my mouth now."  
  
"Mom," I scolded as I peeked out the window, just in time to see Jess walking down the driveway and kicking a rock into the road in frustration. Something's definitely wrong.  
  
She joined me at the window, "Why are we watching out the window?" she asked.  
  
"I think something's wrong." I said.  
  
"Why?" she asked, escorting me to the couch.  
  
"I don't know." she sat down and patted the cushion beside her for me to do the same.  
  
"It's just that it would be a little more helpful if I knew something about what's wrong." she said.  
  
"I don't know what's wrong." I said, pacing the floor.  
  
"Okay, well, why do you think something's wrong?" she asked.  
  
"It's just a feeling." I replied.  
  
"You mean like an intinct?" she asked.  
  
I started walking faster, "Yes," I stared intently at the ground.  
  
"Any idea of WHAT'S wrong?" she asked.  
  
"I think it has something to do with...oh, never mind."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I'm just being overly dramatic." I said.  
  
"Everything's okay then?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure everything's fine. I'm going to go take shower, okay?" I said as I walked down the hall.  
  
"Okay," she called back.  
  
I walked in my room and grabbed some pajamas; it was a cami top, light pink with little red strawberries all over it, and matching boycut shorts. Then I grabbed of pink slippers and a towel. Stop it; nothing's wrong. When I got out, I stood in front brushing my hair. Then I looked in the mirror at my eyes, it reminded me of the look that was in Jess' eyes. I sighed and put my brush down as I walked out.  
  
"Hey kiddo," Mom smiled.  
  
"Hey,"  
  
"Feel better?" she asked.  
  
I nodded, even though I didn't really feel better.  
  
"Sometimes a nice warm shower can do that." she said.  
  
"Yeah, I'm probably just tired." I said.  
  
"You don't really feel any better, do you?"  
  
"Not really," I sighed and sat beside her on the couch.  
  
"How come?" she asked.  
  
"There was this look in his eyes tonight."  
  
"What kind of look?" she asked.  
  
"I don't know; it was like a happy, sad scared, just an array of different feelings all rolled into one."  
  
"Mmm hmm,"  
  
"And for some reason I had a bad feeling."  
  
"Because of the look?"  
  
"I guess, I don't know, it's probably nothing."  
  
"All right, well, do you want to watch a movie or something?"  
  
"No, thanks." I replied. She's just trying to make me feel better.  
  
"You sure?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, I think I'm actually just gonna go to bed."  
  
"Okay, well, I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning." she feigned opimism. The fact is, she trusts gut instincts.  
  
"Good night," I stood up.  
  
"Good night, Honey,"  
  
I kissed her on the cheek, "See you in the morning." I said.  
  
"Okay," I walked to my room, I pulled down my covers and got in bed. I closed my eyes, figuring the sooner I'd feel better. I stared at the ceiling for 15 to 20 minutes, then I finally fell asleep.  
  
*  
  
The next morning I woke up and stumbled out of bed. The second my feet touched the ground I clutched my stomach. It was in knots. I walked out into the hallway.  
  
"Hey hon, what's wrong?"  
  
"Something's wrong, my stomach has more knots in it than a tree."  
  
"Instinctual bad feeling again?"  
  
"Yes, something's wrong; I can feel it."  
  
"Well, they say you should trust your instincts."  
  
"Well, they're telling me something's wrong."  
  
"Well..." she didn't know what to say.  
  
"Something bad." I added.  
  
"Well, let's go for coffee, maybe that'll make you feel better."  
  
"And Jess." I brightened.  
  
"Yep, coffee and Jess."  
  
"My two favorite things."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"I mean, two of my three favorite things." I corrected.  
  
"Thaty's better."  
  
"I neglected to mention you because you are the queen of Favorite-land. So, you're pretty much a given."  
  
"That's much better," she smiled.  
  
"And do you want to know the good news?"  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
"You come before coffee on the importance meter."  
  
"You are now my favorite daughter."  
  
"Which is good considering I'm the only one you have."  
  
"Right, forgot about that."  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
"Didn't work, did it?" she asked.  
  
"What didn't work?"  
  
"Trying to make you feel  
  
"No, my stomach still has knots in it." I said.  
  
"Wonder why?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Maybe you need to eat." he suggested.  
  
"Maybe, but this is definitely not hunger pangs." I said.  
  
"Well, let's go."  
  
"Okay, let me get my coat."  
  
"Wait," she said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Forgetting something?"  
  
"Like...?"  
  
"Like you resemble Strawberry Shortcake." she said.  
  
I looked on my pajamas, "Oh,"  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
"Might want change, huh?"  
  
"Might want to. Oh, the slippers! Now those you must wear."  
  
"Ignoring you now."  
  
"Come on, they're stylish."  
  
"Walking down the hall." I announced.  
  
"Fine, wear real shoes if you want to ruin my fun."   
  
"I appreciate that I have our blessing."  
  
I went in my room. Why can't I shake this feeling? Why do I feel like something's very wrong? Okay, stop freaking yourself out. I put on some real clothes. There has to be an explanation for this. I keep going over the date and our goodnights to see if something went wrong. Why did Jess have that look in his eyes? Why did he kick the rock? I feel like this bad thing has something to do with Jess. I sighed, ready to go. The sooner we leave, the sooner I get to see Jess; then everything will be okay. Then maybe I'll feel better. I swear when I get to that diner I'm just going to make him hold me.  
  
I walked out into the livingroom.  
  
"Hey kiddo, ready?"  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"Good, I need coffee."  
  
"I need Jess." I said.  
  
"Well, you get both at the same place."  
  
"Luke's." I finished.   
  
"Our second home." Mom said.  
  
"We should get mail there."  
  
"Let's go get our loves." Mom said.  
  
"I get the one with dark hair and dark eyes."  
  
"I get the one that's dark and in a cup."  
  
"That might work." I nodded as we left the house.  
  
Mom smiled.  
  
"What?" I asked her.  
  
"What did I say?"  
  
"Nothing,"  
  
Well then, what's the problem?" she asked.  
  
"You were thinking something."  
  
"Was I?" she played dumb.  
  
"Mother,"  
  
"Daughter," she countered.  
  
"What's so amusing?"  
  
She shook her head, "It's just, when I said our loves..."  
  
"Wha- oh," I realized what I had said.  
  
"Yeah, you immediately thought of Jess."  
  
"Well, that's just...because we're together, so I mean, of course he would come to mind when I hear that." I rambled.  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"I didn't actually come out and say that." I defended.  
  
"Say what?" she played dumb again.  
  
"That I'm in love with Jess." I clarified.  
  
"Oooh, you ARE in love with Jess!"  
  
I couldn't fight a smile, "Yeah,"  
  
"I knew that." she said smugly.  
  
"You did?" I asked.  
  
"Yep,"  
  
"Why did you wait till now to say something?"  
  
"Well, for one thing you chose now to slip up, and I don't really know, it just came out."  
  
"I haven't told him yet," I informed her.  
  
"You haven't?"  
  
"No, I almost did last night."  
  
"Why almost?" she asked.  
  
"I stopped myself." I explained.  
  
"Oh, why?"  
  
"I wasn't sure if it was the right time."  
  
"Oh," she half nodded.  
  
"What?" I asked, curiously.  
  
"There's no such thing as a right time."  
  
"I know, part of me screamed that."  
  
"But...?" she inquired.  
  
"The other part scared me."  
  
"How?"  
  
"If he doesn't feel the same way." I answered.  
  
"Oh, that's how."  
  
"I don't think I can stand it much longer."  
  
"Well, here's a thought, maybe he's waiting for YOU to say something." she suggested.  
  
"Jess isn't really the passive type." I pointed out.  
  
"That's true,"  
  
"So, that's probably not it." I reasoned.  
  
"Well, maybe you should just tell him how you feel anyway."  
  
"I could, couldn't I?"  
  
"Yes, you could."  
  
"I'm going to. I love him, and I'm going to tell him." I said.  
  
"You go girl!" Mom said in mock encouragement.  
  
"Thanks,"  
  
"Hey, solidarity, sister."  
  
"I stopped myself last night, but if I keep waiting till 'the right time' I'll keep waiting until it's too late."  
  
"Right, so to avoid that mess..."  
  
"I'll tell him now. Well, when we get there."  
  
After a minute, she asked, "Are you nervous?"  
  
"A little, what if he doesn't feel the same way?"  
  
"I'll bet he does." she nodded.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, really sure."  
  
"You're my mom, you're just saying that."  
  
"I'm super sure."  
  
"You're just being nice."  
  
"How about this? I'm so sure that if he DOESN'T feel the same way, I will stand on my head while I sing 'Look Away' by Chicago."  
  
"You're that sure?"  
  
"Yes,  
  
"Okay, but if you're wrong I'm going to hold you to that standing on your head sining thing." I informed her.  
  
"Duly noted."  
  
At the sight of Luke's I stopped dead in my tracks as I again started to feel like someone died or something.  
  
"What's wrong?" Mom asked alarmed.  
  
"I just got a REALLY really bad feeling. Worse than last night and worse than this morning, in fact, I think if you put the two feelings together that still wouldn't feel this bad." I rambled.  
  
"Okay, stop talking, and let's walk. Can we walk?"  
  
"Yes, we need to go to Luke's, but...I don't know, something's wrong."  
  
She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and we continued on our way to Luke's. We walked to the into Luke's.  
  
At the sight of Mom and me, Luke looked down and went to the kitchen to get an order.  
  
"Luke left." Mom pointed toward the kitchen that Luke practically ran into.  
  
"I saw." I frowned, "Well, let's sit down." I suggested.  
  
Good idea," she sat down at a stool.  
  
I was almost on the stool when something caught my eye. I froze in my almost sitting position.  
  
"Honey?" Mom tried to get my attention.  
  
Just then Luke came back out, "Oh, hi," he said, acting like he'd just seen us for the first time.  
  
"Hey there, runaway coffee man." Mom greeted.  
  
I finally stood back up and looked away from the window that I had been staring out of. Not because there was something wrong or different about the window, but because the window was right in the view of the parking spot Jess always uses. But it was empty. The feeling from earlier came back stronger than ever, my eyes started to burn as I figured out what was wrong.  
  
"Honey, are you okay?" Mom asked.  
  
Tears started to well up in my eyes, I swear, I could almost hear my heart breaking. I looked at Luke, "Luke, where's Jess?" I asked him, trying to maintain composure.  
  
He looked down at the floor uncomfortably then back at me, probably thinking dsomething like "I'm going to kill Jess for making ME do this."  
  
He pulled something out of his back pocket; I stared at like it was the gun that someone was getting ready to shoot me with. "Um, he wanted me to give you this," I let a tear fall, "I'm sorry Rory, he's gone."  
  
He no more than said that and I choked on the lump in my throat. Tears started to fall more rapidly, "I waited too late." I whispered. As soon as I took the letter in my hand I started crying uncontrollably. Since I couldn't seem to stop I just ran out of the diner. No, he cannot be gone. I felt pretty pathetic because I was wailing so much that you'd think someone just killed my best friend. Well, no one killed him, but he's gone just the same.  
  
I didn't quit running until I reached the bridge, where I collapsed on my knees and continued to cry more freely, because I knew no one would see me there. Even though I knew it was irrational, I still kept wishing that Jess would just show up there like he did the night of the dance marathon. But, no wishing wells or shooting stars.  
  
I immediately stopped crying, and pssibly breathing, I'm not sure, I can't remember. That's it, I couldn't figure any of it out, now I think I've got it.  
  
~"And I wish I didn't have to leave."  
  
Duh, there was a double meaning! But why would he leave me? What did I do? I mean, he left without so much as- oh, wait, I covered my mouth as the tears came again. He said good bye, he NEVER says good bye! He says good night. I sank down, he's really gone. He's gone and he's not coming back. I waited too late, why did I have to stop myself last night? Why? I was going to tell him, I was, today, this morning. I was going to tell him I love him, and now I'll never get to. I was going to tell him, but did I listen? No, because it wasn't "the right time". Well, I hope you're happy now. Now is it the right time? Huh? No, now he's gone.  
  
I don't understand though, nothing was wrong. Our relationship was going great; we were happy. I looked at the horrible envelope for the second time. I turned it over and opened it. But then I stopped, thinking of our picnic. I'm almost afraid to read it. If I read it that makes it real. I sighed and satred out at the water.  
  
~"Yelling at you like that, breaking up with you in front of everybody, the guy's a total jerk."  
  
Maybe so, but at least then I understood what happened. Why would he do this? I decided the only way to answer my questions was to read the letter. I carefully pulled the paper out and unfolded it. I sat there reading the last piece of Jess that I had. It was really hard, because my hands were shaking so badly; and the words were blurring because of the tears in my eyes. When I reached the bottom of the letter I ran my fingers over the writing. It read 'P.S. I will always love you.' I choked on my tears again.   
  
I stood up and and stared at the spot where Luke pushed Jess in the lake. I sighed, well, he left my life as quickly and abruptly as he left it. But instead of "In like a lion, out like a lamb" it seemed more like "In like a lamb, out like a lion". I slowly walked back home. I had no smile, no energy, not even any emotion, in fact, I'm not even sure how I got home, I only know that I did.  
  
I walked in, "Lucy, I'm home." I said flatly.  
  
"Hey hon," she attempted a smile.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked her.  
  
"Looking for my Chicago album," she grimaced, "I'm so sorry honey."  
  
"I should've known, I had the bad feeling, I knew something was wrong, and now that I'm thinking about it, I realized he said 'goo bye' last night, not good night. He's never said good bye, it's ALWAYS good night, but last night...it wasn't." I looked down.  
  
"I'm so so sorry that I gave you high hopes, but I thought... I thought-"  
  
"No, don't apologize, you were right." I told her.  
  
"What? How was I right?" she asked, puzzled.  
  
"He does love me." I said.  
  
"Well, he cartainly has a strange way of showing it." she said, somewhat bitterly.  
  
"I know," I nodded, after a second I added, "I can't believe he's gone."  
  
"Oh honey, come here." I sat down beside her.  
  
I held her tight and cried on her shoulder. After a few minutes I stopped, "I'm gonna go lie down." I said.  
  
"Okay sweetie, go ahead," she watched me walk to my room.  
  
I sat on the edge of my bed and held his letter, staring at his handwriting. After a minute I walked over to my dresser and opened the drawer with the New York ticket stub in it. I couldn't even do that this time. Now, he's in California. I took my letter and ticket stub and put them in a small shoe box. Then I dug out my Distillers ticket from the concert, along with the few pictures that I had of him and added those to the box. My Jess box.  
  
I went over and sat down on my bed, of course the first thoughts that flooded my head were thoughts of Jess. I remembered the storm, when he carried me to my bed. That was so sweet. I sighed to myself and got under the covers. Of course that wasn't helpful either, because then all I could think of was how it felt to have Jess' arms wrapped around me. All of these thoughts of Jess, the memories, all of it made me sad. Because now it's gone. I curled up and hugged my pillow, then I cried into my pillow thinking of all the time we spent togther and how much I was going to miss him.  
  
**  
  
A/N:*Peeks out from behind a rock* Hi, are you guys remembering that I love Jess more than the person who created his character? And that I'm nice and not mean and can't torture you people for more than 1 or 2 chapters? Okay, good.*Throws the rock aside* So, I hope you liked this chapter, although if you didn't I understand, because I almost didn't like it myself (just like smile with Bryan!), but it was needed! In case you haven't noticed he NEVER leaves in my stories! Almost everybody has a story where he leaves...then there's me. So, yay for me, I made one! But don't worry, be happy!! And PLEASE REVIEW because I love reviews almost as much as I love Jess!! *nods* That says a lot! If you review I'll love you forever! :D Thank you all for being so patient, I'm sorry about the sucky updater habits, but I did intend to get this up sooner than this, and then I got thrown off by the no internet rule. PLEASE REVIEW!!! You guys rock! And if I'm reading one or more of your stories and you're starting to wonder if I fell off the planet, I didn't! I have a week of updates to read! I will get to it, you'll know by my review that will be begging forgiveness or something like that!:D If I miss it just yell at me, I'll try to get to all of the stories soon! Very soon! Oh, .P.S. The whole story won't be so much thinking, it will be more dialogue, because frankly I suck at writing the big long thoughts and feelings paragraphs, I'm much better with dialogue, so the thoughts won't last long, but this chapter was written just before Jess actually went with his dad on the show, so it's old, and at that time I guess I liked writing the long thing *shrugs* I don't know, but I did, and I'm not in the mood to be dramatic, so I couldn't even rewrite it.  
  
But you know, if I get lots of reviews *cough* hint *cough*, I might update sooner! A lot sooner! So, please review!!!! Please!!!!  
  
Ooh, and next chapter, someone gets a black eye! Who? Who? Okay, I'm going away now. 


	3. The Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own anything...yet!! But I don't hate the WB anymore, so that's good! They're finally getting their brains back...I'll bet they've missed them! *sighs and smiles at the thought of Jess really returning*  
  
A/N: Hey peeps! :) I just wanted to warn you that this is the last chapter that I'm doing in Rory's POV, I wanted to start it out in her POV because of the whole Jess leaving thing.  
  
Also, I just wanted to say I'm sorry to Stew Pid, Tye (soo sorry), Katie19, I'M SOOO SORRY! I forgot to list you guys in the thank you's because I had to go by memory, which I can't remember if I told you guys that or not. But I did, so I missed a few names and I'm sorry! But I wanted to thank you guys too! Thank you for the reviews! I'm sorry I forgot to list you! It wasn't because I was being rude and just wanted to exclude you, I just wanted to tell you guys that and apologize for not putting you in the a/n! I'm sorry, and thank you!  
  
Okay, now, Shana, I know! I'm the same way! I HATE when Jess leaves...which brings me to question why I did it, but we all know that I love Jess way too much to actually get RID of him. So, all's well! Plus, this way I too have a story where Jess leaves!...Well, if you count Back In My Life, I guess I already did....but since that was completely future fic and he didn't leave in the actual story, I didn't count it. Thank you sooo much for your review!  
  
Just A Reader: Yay!!! I'm sooo glad you reviewed! You can ask my mom, I was just considering writing a note to you in an update of a story you reviewed and ask if you were still reading, because I missed you! *hugs you* Thank you! I'm just soo glad to know you're still reading!  
  
Also, Luke Rules, I don't have spell check, and I tried looking it over again and I did see about 4 words that I was typing too fast and missed a couple of letters (you know how sometimes the letter just doesn't show up) and I type the wrong way (looking at the keyboard instead of the screen) so that's why there are a few mistakes, and I'm sorry, I try to catch them but I can't catch them all, so I'm sorry in advance for any slip-ups that I make! I'm glad you're enjoying the story!:)  
  
Again, thanks for the reviews, all of you, and I'm sorry that I missed you to the the people that I did miss!:(  
  
Thank you ALL for your reviews! I love them! I love you! I like the story, I guess time will tell if I love it, which since I seem so generous with saying "I love____" you'd think that would be an immediate thing, but I've already said I'm weird *shrugs*. Hope you guys like it!  
  
This chapter's kind of...blah, but that's only because it's still...not happy. But, the black eye thing sure made ME more happy!:D  
  
**  
  
The next morning I walked out of my room and towards the livingroom. I stopped at the end of the hall.  
  
"Hi," Mom smiled.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked.  
  
"Whatever you want." she replied, "We can wallow, or go shopping, or we can attempt to bake something like Sookie, you know, if you really want to we can even listen to a Britney Spears CD."   
  
"Britney Spears?" I asked. She nodded. "Mom, I'm deserted, not blonde."  
  
"Well, what do you want to do?" she asked.  
  
Go to California. "Egg Jess' car, but since we can't do that, let's go get breakfast."  
  
"Okay, Al's?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll go get dressed." I went to my room and got dressed, then I walked back into the livingroom. "Ready,"  
  
"Okay, let's get going." We walked out of the house.  
  
I looked around once we made it to the town square. Maybe this wasn't the best idea. "My life without Jess, day one." I mumbled to myself.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. What should we do after Al's?"  
  
"Well, I highly suggest wallowing, now before you say no," she held her hand up as to stop me, "Remember what happened last time. The results of not wallowing are very bad. It's one bad day of crying and eating ice cream and watching movies that you can erase from your record once you're over...it."  
  
I shocked her with my reply, "Okay,"  
  
Her jaw dropped a little, because she was expecting to have to fight a little more like last time, but this wasn't last time. And it wasn't Dean. It was Jess. She closed her mouth, "Good,"  
  
We went to Al's, I was glad we went there instead of Luke's. Then there's the townspeople, if they don't already know, they will soon. They had to, they're bound to notice Jess missing.  
  
I just stared absently into my coffee. Mom tried a couple times to make conversation, but I wasn't feeling very talkative, so it didn't work very well. When we were done, we were walking back through town when I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks without Mom even noticing and tried to walk away fast.  
  
"Hey, we need to get- Rory?" She turned around, "Rory?"  
  
It was too late to get away though, Shane had already seen me, like I needed another reminder of Jess.  
  
"Rory, where-? Oh," she noticed Shane.  
  
Shane glared at me, "Hey freak, long time no see."  
  
"Well, I'll consider myself lucky. Move out of my way please."  
  
She didn't move though, "Why? You look unhappy."  
  
"Shane, I'm really just not in the mood."  
  
"Aw, why not?" she feigned concern.  
  
"None of your business. Move." I ordered.  
  
"Ooh, she's getting bossy." she taunted with a smirk.  
  
"Rory, honey, come on," Mom said.  
  
"What's wrong? Did Jess finally leave you?"  
  
"Oh no, no. You did not just say that."  
  
"Honey, come on," Mom said again.  
  
"No, not yet," I said, "I'd like to see how many more low blows Blondie has."  
  
"Sweetie, we really-"  
  
"You should've known he'd leave you once he got bored, that's his way."  
  
"Hmm," I shook my head, for a couple of reasons, one was that I didn't really want to cry or something like that. And two, because I needed to reamain calm; but I was starting to see why Jess and Dean were always at each other's throats.  
  
"You know, he never relly cared about you in the first place." she said.  
  
"That's it,"  
  
"Rory-" Mom started, but stopped in shock with her eyes wide and jaw touching the ground.  
  
I punched Shane. Yes, I, Rory Gilmore, punched Shane.  
  
"Ouch! What the hell's wrong with you, freak?"  
  
"Nothing, I fell MUCH better now," I turned to Mom, "Let's go,"  
  
"Okay," she said quietly and followed me, still not entirely sure of how to act.  
  
"Maybe I wasn't ready for public yet," I finally said.  
  
"Yeah, I'd say that's probably a safe bet. I can't believe you punched her," Mom said, stifling a smile.  
  
"Neither can I." I said, rubbing my knuckles.  
  
"That was kind of cool," she said, trying to cheer me up.  
  
"Yeah, I've been wanting to do that since September." I admitted.  
  
We walked in silence the rest of the way home. When we finally got there I spoke, "Maybe we should've wallowed first."  
  
"Yeah, Shane was the un-Rory reaction instead of Tristin."  
  
"Yeah," I agreed, but I couldn't feel anything. For the rest of the day we wallowed. Then, that night I went to my room and sat down on my bed. I grabbed a notebook and pen and propped myself up against my headboard. Then I wrote a letter to Jess. I couldn't actually send it, because "Jess Mariano, California" wasn't enough information. And even if I could send it, I'm not sure that I'd even want to. Once I'd filled the front and back of two sheets of paper, I folded them up and put them in an purple envelope. Then I took the envelope and put it i my bookshelf.  
  
*  
  
The next morning we got up and I decided we should go back to Luke's. It's not like I could stay away from Luke's forever, now's as good a time as any to go back. So, we went. Luke was glad to see us coming in again. So glad, in fact, that he voluntarily gave me blueberry pancakes with sausage, bacon, toast, one of every muffin he served -including chocolate chip- and pretty much any other food I asked for. Then for desert he brought doughnuts, Danish, and apple pie. And the best part was, we got all the coffee we wanted without complaint. When he came to refill our coffee, I couldn't keep my mouth shut any longer.  
  
"Luke?"  
  
"Yeah?" he asked, attentively.  
  
"Um, has he called to say he made it there okay or he's almost there, or...anything?"  
  
"No," he shook his head slightly.  
  
"Okay," I went back to my silence.  
  
*  
  
After school, I went home and did my homework. It was strange not seeing Jess before school this morning. I didn't realize just how accustomed to seeing him every morning I was to seeing him every morning. I was sitting there staring at my text book when I stopped and pulled a clean sheet of paper out of my binder. I decided to write another letter to Jess, to tell how strange it was not seeing him this morning and to tell him how much I missed him. I had just finished when Mom got home.  
  
"Wilma, I'm home." Mom called out.  
  
I folded my letter up, "Okay Fred, dinner's not ready."  
  
"Whatcha doin'? she asked.  
  
"Homework," I answered, grabbing a white envelope and sliding the letter in it. "I'll be right back," I said. I took the letter from the bookshelf and the one I'd just finished, and put them in my Jess box, then I slid it under my bed.  
  
*  
  
Thursday after school I couldn't stop thinking about Jess. I hadn't written him a letter lately, not since the one I had written Monday. I needed to get my mind off Jess, I was going to turn the radio, but the last time I did that the song was called "I Miss You" and I figured that would happen again, so I decided against it, seeing as how that would completely defeat my purpose. So, instead, I went in the kitchen and got the stuff together to make brownies. As Mom pulled in the brownies were done; I pulled them out and sat them on the stove.  
  
"Mmm, something smells good, weird, kinda like I kjust walked onto the set of Martha Stewart, well, without all the inside stock tips and stuff. But, what are-" she stopped dead in her tracks and her jaw dropped, "Those are brownies! How did those get there?" she asked, wide eyed.  
  
"Our fairy godmother dropped them off." I answered.  
  
"Who knew she did housecalls?"  
  
"She must be updating her services, she even used a laptop for the ingredients instead of a magic wand."  
  
"Can I ask you something?" Mom asked, looking at me, a little more seriously.  
  
"Can you- well, your mouth can open and when that happens words usually come out, even when people don't want them to. So, I guess if your brain told your-"  
  
"MAY I ask you a question?" she corrected.  
  
I smiled, "Yes, you may."  
  
She smiled back, "Well, Miss Teacherlady, why the sudden domestic streak?" she asked.  
  
"What are you talking about?" I turned to the sink to rinse out the bowl that I used for the brownies.  
  
"Well, yesterday you organized our movies in alphabetical order, in different catagories, including '80's Classics', 'Strictly Mocking', 'Scary Movies', and a miscellaneous section for the ones that didn't fit into any of those catagories. Today, you MADE brownies. You baked. You, a Gilmore, put ingredients together, mixed them, poured them, and then you put them in the oven. Then you took them out without burning yourself." she said.  
  
"Many millions of people do that everyday." I said.  
  
"Yes, and while those people are charming in a Donna Reed meets Sara Lee kind of way, we are not a part of that number of people."  
  
"I'm an independent woman, and I wanted a brownie, no big deal."  
  
"When we want brownies we call Sookie. Or Luke if we want a lecture with them."  
  
"Mom, I didn't make chocolate `eclairs from scratch, I just made brownies. From a box. It's just a brownie."  
  
"The helpful fairy?"  
  
"No, the Betty Crocker,"  
  
"But why did you make them?"  
  
"I just wanted to," I replied. Drop it.  
  
"Uh huh, for no reason?"  
  
"In remembrance of my Donna Reed days."  
  
"And you're not doing this because of...?"  
  
"I have to go take a shower."  
  
"Rory, honey-"  
  
"By the time I get out the brownies should be cool enough to eat." I walked down the hall to my room and grabbed my clothes. Then I went to the bathroom to 'take a shower', but actually I just wanted to cry. No, I needed to cry.  
  
*  
  
Friday after school I went straight home and started my homework. I finished most of it by the time Mom got home.  
  
"Honey, are you here?"  
  
"In my room," I called back.  
  
She walked in, "Hey, babe,"  
  
"Hey," I replied, not looking up from my screen.  
  
"Plotting to take over the world?"  
  
"No, I have to gather information about Stars Hollow and some interesting facts about its history."  
  
"Oh, fun, fun,"   
  
"Homework," I explained.  
  
"Ah, I see,"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be in there in just a second," I said.  
  
"Okay, well, I'm going to go shower."  
  
"Okay, I'll get dressed."  
  
*  
  
We showed up at Grandma and Grandpa's house for our regular Friday night dinner. We rang the doorbell and waited.  
  
"I don't think they're ever going to answer," I said after a minute.  
  
"Oh man, that sucks. Oh well, we tried," she turned to leave.  
  
"No, maybe they didn't hear the doorbell." I suggested.  
  
"Or maybe they did and and don't want company,"  
  
I rang the doorbell again, "Yeah, right,"  
  
The door opened, "Hello, girls. I swear, Edith wouldn't know a doorbell if I hit her in the head with one; I'm starting to consider it." she shut the door behind us.  
  
"Uh, hi, Mom," Mom said looking at me.  
  
"You can't find a decent maid these days." she continued as she led us in to sit down. "Do you remember Lily?" Grandma asked Mom.  
  
"Lily?" Mom questioned.  
  
"Yes, she was our maid when you were 11, you don't remember her?"  
  
Mom stared at her, "I was 11,"  
  
"Well, I liked Lily,"  
  
"Hi, Grandpa," I siad when I sat down.  
  
"Hello, Rory,"  
  
"All right, enough about maids," Grandma said, "How are you girls doing?"  
  
"Fine," I said a little too quickly.  
  
"Oh, yeah, me too," Mom agreed.  
  
"Rory, how's school?" Grandpa asked.  
  
"Good,"  
  
There was a short silence.  
  
"Why are we being so quiet?" Grandma finally asked.  
  
"No reason," I said.  
  
"Is everything all right?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, Rory even made brownies." Mom said.  
  
"I didn't know you could cook," Grandma said.  
  
"Well, I didn't either." I said, "So, Grandpa, are you going to be travelling soon?"  
  
"Oh, no, not for a couple of weeks." he replied.  
  
"Lorelai, how's work?" Grandma asked.  
  
"Good," she said.  
  
"Oh," I smiled, "Tell her about what happened Wednesday," I said.  
  
"Sweetie, Grandma doesn't care what happened Wed-"  
  
"What happened?" Grandma asked.  
  
"Well, some guy that was staying at the inn got locked in the bathroom in his room," she said.  
  
"Yeah, then it turned out he was claustrophobic, he kept trying to open the door, until finally he ended up pulling the doorknob right off. It was horrible," I said smiling.  
  
"That's awful," Grandma said.  
  
"Then, the guy went and told Michel off once he finally got out of the bathroom," I added.  
  
"But, we let him stay an extra night for free, so everyone was happy." Mom said.  
  
"How did he get locked in? Aren't your rooms safe?"  
  
"Yes, Mom, our rooms are safe," she said.  
  
"Then how did he get locked in?"  
  
"Because, the doorknob was defective," Mom said.  
  
Time to change the subject, I decided. "So, didn't you guys go to a party at the country club?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, we did," Grandma replied.  
  
"How'd it go?" I asked.  
  
"It was lovely," she said.  
  
"If that's what you want to call it," Grandma said  
  
"Oh, Richard," she fought a smile.  
  
I half smiled, "What happened?"  
  
"Oh, a friend of mine, Victor, his son is on some baseball team, oh, what was the name of that team? Well, anyway, he says he's really good, and he did nothing but brag," Grandpa said.  
  
"Richard, you've been friends with Victor for years,"  
  
"Is his son on a famous team?" Mom asked.  
  
"Yes. Emily, what was the name of that team his son plays on?"  
  
"I don't know, I know nothing about the game," she said.  
  
"The Dodgers! That was it." Grandpa remembered.  
  
My heart and face instantly fell. Dodger. I didn't hear very much of anything else that they said for the rest of the evening. How could I pay attention to them? I couldn't stop thinking about MY Dodger.   
  
*  
  
A/N: Hi, sorry, it's not as depressingly sad as the last chapter, but it's certainly not happy. Next chapter...well, you guys will probably still hate me, but I swear, if you hang in there, it will get much better! Just one more chapter where you won't like me, and I won't like me, no one will like me, but THEN I go back to being me!:D   
  
Personally, I can't wait! PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!  
  
And see, I am getting back into improving on the time between updating stories thing *nods proudly*. that's gotta count for something, right? 


	4. First Meetings

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!  
  
A/N: I don't actually have a lot to say about the chapter, other than the fact that some of you are going to hate me (temporarily...hopefully) when you're done with this chapter(I know, I do too), but please don't! But mostly it's my reviewers that I have to comment about, lol, you guys rock!  
  
Shana (JeSSFrEaK8): Yes!! I did see the TCA's! He's sooo adorable! And don't feel bad, I cried when Jess left too! He's...Jess! But yeah, I know Rory was way OOC when she punched Shane *snickers at the thought* but I couldn't help myself!  
  
To everyone else, Jin, midnightqueen6,iminlovewithaboynamedJESS, Fallen-Angel488, Katie05, Tye, and moi. THANK YOU!! Yes Jin, I suck at any darkness whatsoever!   
  
And moi. I wanted to tell you that you were actually the review that kicked me into update mode, because it's nice -and it makes me feel guilty- to see that people are still reading it!  
  
Anyway, sorry for the rediculous wait, guys, I didn't mean it but my computer was evil and it crashed and now that it's fixed I've been having killer writer's block, so all elements of the universe are against me! But I was sitting in my room thinking about your reviews and I got a few lines thrown at me so I had to start writing!  
  
**  
  
Seven years later Rory Gilmore pulled into the driveway of her mother and step-father's house.  
  
She smiled when she saw her Lorelai excitedly run outside and of course she proceeded to wrap Rory into a hug.  
  
"Oh, look at you! You've grown up! you've changed, oh my gosh, you're taller! Luke, come see Rory, she's taller!" she called in the house.  
  
Luke came out with his five year-old son, William, following closely behind. "Lorelai, you just saw her two weeks ago," he said, smiling at Rory as he hugged her.  
  
"Will!" Rory wrapped her little brother into a bear hug.  
  
"Rory, you're home," he smiled.  
  
"I'm home," she confirmed.  
  
Then, once everyone greeted her, all eyes shifted curiously at the other person next to Rory.  
  
"You must be David," Lorelai said, "Rory's told us all about you, come here," she hugged him.  
  
He looked slightly uncomfortable, but he hugged her back.  
  
"So, come on in or Babbette will see you and then you'll NEVER get to come in," Lorelai said to them.  
  
"I thought she'd be out here waiting," Rory said as they walked in.  
  
"Well...I kind of told her you're not supposed to be here until tomorrow, so if you answer the phone and by chance it's her, pick up a French accent and tell her she has the wrong number."  
  
"Greedy," Rory said.  
  
"Well, you're my daughter, I'm allowed to be greedy, and I still say you're taller,"  
  
"Well, you're wrong, I quit growing a long time ago,"  
  
"Haha, shorty," she replied.  
  
"Very mature," Rory remarked.  
  
"You know how tomorrow's Friday and we're supposed to go to your grandparents' house for dinner?"  
  
"Mom, you're not cancelling on Grandma,"  
  
"Well, I was thinking, we don't have to cancel, per se, just kind of...forget, I mean, with the insane amount of food and music and stuff it would be entirely possible to just forget,"  
  
"We are not going to forget, I already have it in my palm pilot, I can't forget. It's impossible to forget."  
  
"Mean," Lorelai pouted.  
  
"Besides, if I were you I'd watch, Will could tell Grandma what you said,"  
  
"Like she doesn't already know,"  
  
"Still,"  
  
"Hey, who wants to call Al's and order everything on the menu?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"We're the guests, you call," Rory said.  
  
"But Al misses you, he wants to hear your voice,"  
  
"No, you just don't want to call,"  
  
"Fine, call my bluff," Lorelai said picknig up the phone, "David, do you like Moroccan?"  
  
"Moroccan? Yeah," he nodded.  
  
Lorelai ordered their food while Luke -the socialite that he is- got to know David.  
  
"So..." Luke started.  
  
Silence.  
  
"So, Luke, how's the diner?" Rory asked.  
  
"Oh, you know, still there,"  
  
"And Ceasar? Is he feeling better?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, yeah, he's fine now,"  
  
"What happened to him?" David asked.  
  
"Oh, remember I told you? Ceasar broke his arm and he couldn't work because he couldn't do pancakes," Rory reminded him.  
  
"Oh, right, because you said that Luke made better pancakes anyway,"  
  
She blushed, "Yeah, and I created bad karma and later that week my computer mysteriously crashed. With my article in it."  
  
"Okay, Al said it should be done in about 45 minutes, who wants to listen to some mood music while we interrogate David?" Lorelai smiled.  
  
"Mom," Rory rolled her eyes.  
  
"Fine, talk, same thing," she said, sitting down. "So, David, hi," she grinned.  
  
"Hi," he returned the smile.  
  
"This is the first time I've met you,"  
  
"Yeah, I know, I always try to stop by when Rory tells me you're coming, but work gets so crazy," he explained.  
  
"You can say that again," Rory nodded.  
  
"Ah, right," Lorelai nodded. "Well, you're here now,"  
  
"And we have an...announcement...type...thing to make," Rory faltered, chiding herself for not sounding more composed.  
  
Lorelai frowned and chuckled at the same time, "Okay..."  
  
"Well, you know how David and I have been seeing each other for...a long time now? A really long time. Almost forever actually."  
  
"Uh huh," Lorelai nodded, letting her son crawl in her lap.  
  
"Well," she looked to David for reassurance, "David proposed and I said yes," she blurted all at once.  
  
"Agh!" Lorelai jumped up, "You're getting married?"  
  
"Yes," Rory nodded.  
  
"My baby's getting married! You didn't tell me!" she realized.  
  
"I know, we wanted to wait and tell you in person," she said.  
  
Luke hugged her, "Congratulations,"  
  
David and luke shook hands and Lorelai squeezed Rory until she couldn't breathe. "Um, Mom?"  
  
"Yeah?" Lorelai asked, not letting go.  
  
"I need air."  
  
"Oh!" Lorelai smiled and backed up. "Sorry, oh, you're my little bride-to-be,"  
  
"Well, I'm his little bride-to-be, but I'm sure he can share," Rory nodded.  
  
"Oh my gosh, well, on the bright side I beat you to it," Lorelai grinned, wrapping an arm around Luke's shoulder.  
  
"Well, you are my mom, I think it's supposed to work that way,"  
  
"Right," she looked at David, "Hey, I need another hug, you're going to be my son-in-law,"  
  
He hugged her, glancing at a smiling but distant Rory.  
  
"I feel old," Lorelai said.  
  
"Mommy," Will pulled on Lorelai's shirt.  
  
"Yeah?" she glanced at him.  
  
"What does proposed mean?"  
  
"It means that Rory and David are going to get married and live happily ever after!" she said excitedly.  
  
"Oh, okay," he nodded.  
  
They talked more, Lorelai acted hyper, as always, and Luke felt awkward with all of the emotion in the room. Finally Lorelai asked if Luke could go get the food while she changed Will for bed and David got a call that he had to take.  
  
With the time alone, Rory had time to wander around the house. She ended up in her room, nothing had really changed, Lorelai refused to change it because she always wanted it to be the way Rory left it. Rory checked to make sure no one was watching from the doorway -she had known people to do that- and when she saw no one she pulled a box from under her bed. She smiled. Still here.  
  
She took the lid off and leafed through the envelopes. Over the years it turned into more of a book because she'd write so many letters. She couln't help it, everytime she'd try to tell herself that she didn't need to write the letter she did it anyway, reminding herself that it couldn't hurt, it's not like she'd actually send it to him.  
  
As she was looking through the envelopes she didn't notice Lorelai walk in the room quietly, first smiling, but then at realizing what Rory was looking through, getting a sad look.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
Rory jumped, causing a few of the envelopes to spill out. She scrambled to put them back, embarrassed, as she shoved it under the bed and folded her knees up to her chest.  
  
"Hey," she said casually, as if she han't just been looking through a box of letters that she wrote to her ex-boyfriend when she just announced her engagement that day.  
  
"What are you doing? Well, I mean, I know what you're doing, but..."  
  
"Nothing, I was just...I don't know," she shook her head. "I know I shouldn't still think of him,"  
  
"Honey," Lorelai said, joining Rory on the floor, "you'll always think of him,"  
  
"I will? You mean this won't go away?"  
  
"No, unfortunately not,"  
  
"Do you still think of Dad?"  
  
"Of course,"  
  
"In the way that you wish he was next to you, talking to you, listening to music with you, reading with you, doing anything as long as it was with you?"  
  
Lorelai frowned, "Well...um, not exactly..."  
  
Rory nodded, "Didn't think so,"  
  
"But, I do still think of him, and for that matter, your dad and I had closure, Jess..he just..picked up and left, like an idiot, you have no closure, you're bound to think about him more,"  
  
"Yeah, but on the day that I announce my engagemet?"  
  
"Of course," Lorelai responded without missing a beat.  
  
"I am?" Rory asked confusedly.  
  
"Yes, you're probably wondering what kind of sarcastic remark he'd give you about that piece of information,"  
  
"Sort of..."  
  
"Or...okay, help me out here,"  
  
But before Rory had to answer David came in, saving her. "Hey honey...why are you in the floor?"  
  
"Oh, it's the new hip place to hang out," Lorelai said getting up, "I realize you weren't taling to me, because you probably wouldn't call me honey, but I was sitting in the floor, so rather than look like an idiot I thought I'd explain. And now I'll leave you two alone,"  
  
Rory smiled and watched her mom leave. "Hi," she greeted David. "Who was on the phone?"  
  
"Oh, it was just my secratary, she was confirming the meeting in Hartford tomorrow," he said.  
  
"Oh, okay, when is it?"  
  
"It's at noon," he told her. "So, what are you doing in here?"  
  
"Oh, just looking at my old room,"  
  
"Ah, and your mom found you?"  
  
"Yeah." after a brief second, "So, what do you think?"  
  
"Of what?" he asked.  
  
"Of everything, this is the first time you've met any of my family,"  
  
"Well, I think you're right, your mom is definitely...different," he said.  
  
"Tell me about it, I was the only kid in preschool who'd walk around singing Walk Like an Egyptian and Eternal Falme,"  
  
"Guys, food's here," Lorelai popped in.  
  
Rory stood up and took David's hand as they walked out into the livingroom, Rory glanced back over her shoulder at the box under her bed. Nothing in it ever changed, but she always felt comfort when she'd pull out that box. And even if she knew why she'd never admit it, especially not now. She was engaged, and not to Jess.  
  
**  
  
A/N: So, I know this wasn't...happier, per se...but at least she's not crying anymore!..Oh wait...that's bad. Well, I don't know, I suck, but this is the last stupid chapter! (by last stupid chapter I mean--oh forget it, the point is, the story will get way better soon!) Very soon..I have notes for the soon! PLEASE REVIEW!!! Despite my being horrible and bringing David into the picture, I would really appreciate it and to sort of give you incentive, I promise I'll update soon and you won't hate it! At least I don't think you will..if you do I'm sorry, but you shouldn't!! Right, yeah, now I'm lecturing you *blushes* Sorry, but please review!!! 


	5. After the meeting

Disclaimer: I own David, but you can have him if you want him, he's a snobby creep. I own Kurt, you can't have him! He's cute! Mine, mine, mine, mine! But other than that, I don't own the show, I don't own anything really.  
  
A/N:Hey!! I updated! Aren't you proud!! I'm proud. I'm also in a bad mood because I missed Milo in Boston Public *takes a moment for a dramatic cry and "I'm okay, really...oh! No I'm not!!!!" wails* BUT, on a happier note, it made me update...okay, not really, it was the reviews! I read the reviews! I couldn't stand the feeling of self hatred! Okay, that's not going to completely go away, but I'll like myself a lot better once I update this story *sighs with happiness* Un-evil Mandy is back!!  
  
I have to respond to..oh, EVERYBODY!  
  
To: Luxy1, I know! I'm sorry! Please don't hate me!! It'll get better! It'll get better soon, like, 10 minutes ago soon! I AM a Jess fan! The biggest Jess fan! I swear!  
  
iminlovewithaboynamedJESS: I know! I fully take responsibility for the evilness that was the last chapter *nods solemnly* I swear by the end of this chapter the hatred will go away!...I think...yeah, it will!  
  
smile: lol, don't worry, I never take "You ramble a lot!" in a bad way!:D I always ramble, it's what I do! I'm glad you like the story, I had to make her sadness an issue because the show made me mad when she had no reaction at all! If a guy like Jess leaves, especially one that you 'think you might be in love with', you are SUPPOSED to be sad! Stupid writer people!  
  
Jin(Mrs.Mariano): Seriously, you Silly Bear, who did you write to? Lorelai is just..you know, Lorelai! But I'm still me!...Me with a mean horrible David...but still me! Besides, I hate him.:)  
  
Tye: *the same I-just-saw-Milo shriek* Hi! I'll see what I can do about killing David, unfortunately Jess won't come back a homicidal maniac, that so sucks, but if he was going to be, he would kill David for us!! Isn't that great! Hehe, David and Dean jumping off a cliff...while holding hands!!:D Poor Dean and David....not. Anyhoo, I'm glad your friend thinks we're alike! I love hyper people! The world needs more of them!:D  
  
Okay, I'm done responding to people, oh wait, no I'm not. You won't want to kill me when you're done! iminlovewithaboynamedJESS, you'll like me again! ALL of you will!! *grins and gestures for you to read, then stops to ramble a little more* Oh, and I kind of hated to name a guy who no one in the world will like including me and I'm the one who wrote him, David, beause of Dave, and I love Dave, but I hate David...so...I have no explanation, throw stones if you will, but make sure you don't hurt me too bad for the previous chapters or the evil guy being named David, because you need me!!! I update...I really do now!!*nods excitedly then skips off and awaits the reviews saying "we don't hate you so much anymore, you horrid insane freak!"*  
  
Oh, one more thing, I'm not sure if anyone noticed Will, but I don't actually LIKE the name William that much, I could've named him better, but I wanted to name him after Luke's dad, so, William had to be...William.  
  
Oh, and I'm glad no one likes David. I hate him. With a passion. I hate him with every fiber of my being!  
  
Oh, and don't kill me in the first...piece, because it's sickening. I apologize.  
  
**  
  
The next day David came back from the meeting looking slightly annoyed as he walked in.  
  
"Hey," Rory greeted him with a kiss.  
  
"Hey,"  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked, frowning.  
  
"Oh, nothing, I just...our competitors are the biggest jerks alive, and their representative tops the cake of any other ones I've met. Bad day."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, sitting him down and rubbing his back.  
  
Within about a minute the doorbell rang.  
  
I'll get it," Rory called out going to the door. She opened the door and stared in shock.  
  
"Surprised?"  
  
"Lane!!!!!!" Rory jumped to hug her friend, practically knocking her over.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes,"  
  
"What are you doing here? Wow, I...you didn't tell me you were coming!"  
  
"You didn't tell me you were engaged!" Lane shot back.  
  
Rory stared, "How...?"  
  
"Oh please, it's all over Stars Hollow by now. Do you have somewhere that I can sit this toy bag?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, where's Kurt?"  
  
"He's tagging along behind me...somewhere..Kurt! Come on,"  
  
"Coming Mommy," he called, running up beside her.  
  
"I can't believe he's five already," Rory said.  
  
"I know, and you missed his party this year,"  
  
"I know, I felt so bad...did you get the presents I sent?"  
  
"Yes, his favorite was the marching drum, it's very noisy," she informed Rory.  
  
Rory grinned, "I know,"  
  
"Just wait until you and David have kids, I will get you the loudest toy known to man,"  
  
Rory's grin diminished slightly, "Yeah, someday..."  
  
"Rory!" Kurt hugged Rory.  
  
"Hi, you got big!"  
  
"I know, I'm a big boy," he said proudly.  
  
"You are. Where's Dave?" she asked Lane.  
  
"He's coming later, he had an audition,"  
  
"Oh, okay," Rory nodded, "Come on in,"  
  
"It's so cool that we're both with Daves," Lane said happily.  
  
"Actually, he doesn't like to be called Dave, it makes him feel...informal," Rory informed Lane.  
  
Lane gave her an odd look, "Uh, okay,"  
  
"Do you want to meet him?" Rory asked, smiling.  
  
"Sure, I'll try to refrain from my lowly ways of calling him Dave," she mumbled.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, nothing," Lane shook her head with a forced smile.  
  
"David," Rory called, "Guess who's here,"  
  
He stood up, never having met anybody Rory knows, so he had no idea who she was.  
  
"Lane, this is David,"  
  
"Oh, you're Lane, I've heard all about you," David nodded with a smile and an outstretched hand.  
  
Lane stared at his hand, "We don't shake hands, we hug," she said as she pulled him into a hug.  
  
Again he did the uncomfortable hug thing, it would take awhile to adjust to the Stars Hollow people..let's hope he doesn't go near Miss Patty.  
  
"Hi, I'm Kurt," the little boy smiled up at him.  
  
"Hi, I'm David,"  
  
"That's my Daddy's name," he said.  
  
"I know," David nodded.  
  
"Hey, I have an idea for how we can sit and talk and get to know each other," Rory said happily.  
  
"Go to Luke's," Lane and David said at the same time.  
  
"I am not that predictable," she said.  
  
"Please, if coffee's an option, it's the one you pick. Always." David said.  
  
"Fine, I am predictable, but let's go, we can talk, you can hear all about Lane and Dave and Kurt and what they've been up to, and I want to hear it!" Rory said.  
  
**  
  
Rory, Lane, David and Kurt all walked into Luke's, Lane and Rory chattering until they realized the inside of Luke's was not only silent, but deafeningly silent. And there were people. Live people. People who should be sitting there talking and gossiping and saying things that are far from true. People who should be annoying Taylor or Luke or making fun of Kirk..except for Kirk, who was sitting there the same way. And even Jess, he should've been-- wait, what?  
  
Oh....okay, that's why.  
  
Rory froze dead in her tracks, Jess was making eye contact with her, but she wasn't sure if she was awake or not. She'd had many dreams like this before, David had never been there..but, still.  
  
Lane had wide eyes, Luke was still shocked that Jess was standing there, and David looked slightly annoyed, but not even noticing Rory and Jess' sparks.  
  
"Hey," he said.  
  
She narrowed her eyes, Hey? she thought. After all this time, hey?! "Hey," she replied.  
  
More silence. No one dared to speak. Well, almost no one.  
  
"Hello," David said.  
  
Jess gave him a funny look, "You live in Stars Hollow?"  
  
"No, I live in New York, I thought you were at the California office?"  
  
"I am," Jess nodded.  
  
Rory, Lane...everybody in Luke's stared.  
  
"Why are you talking to him?" Rory finally asked David.  
  
"God only knows," he mumbled.  
  
"Rephrasing, why would you speak to him without asking his name?"  
  
David frowned, "I know his name,"  
  
"He meant to add unfortunately to that, but he's too polite," Jess said mockingly.  
  
She shot Jess a death glare. Then back to David, "How?"  
  
"Well, he's one of my company's biggest competitors, he was at the meeting,"  
  
Lane couldn't help but butt in here, "Wow, how ironic,"  
  
"What's ironic?" David asked.  
  
"That Jess is your biggest competitor," she said, glancing at Rory who elbowed her.  
  
"Why is that ironic?" he asked.  
  
"How do you know Rory?" Jess interrupted.  
  
"She's my fiancee`," David replied, wrapping an arm around her, "Why?"  
  
Jess raised an eyebrow, obviously not what he expected or wanted to hear.  
  
Rory had to choke back a smile of sadistic satisfaction at the look. As did everyone else in the diner. They all thought he deserved that look.  
  
"Huh," was his reply.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Rory finally asked.  
  
"Had a meeting in Hartford, I was nearby,"  
  
"Wow, so this is the first time in seven years you've been nearby and you thought, 'huh, I think I'll go back to Stars Hollow and see if they remember me,'?" Rory asked.  
  
"I didn't put a lot of thought into it actually, otherwise, why would I be here?"  
  
"Oh, right, I forgot, you hate this town," she replied.  
  
He shrugged, "Pretty much,"  
  
"Then go back to California,"  
  
"Whoa, deja vu, you even have the tall guy next to you with the arm securing his property," Jess smirked.  
  
"Shut up Jess," she said.  
  
"That was supposed to be his line," Jess shook his head disapprovingly.  
  
With good timing, in walks Lorelai, "Okay, I need coffee people, I - oh dear spawn of satan." she stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"Nice to see you too," Jess said, "And thanks, I get called that everyday, but it never gets old,"  
  
Lorelai stared at Rory, "He's here?"  
  
"Apparently," Rory nodded.  
  
"He can't be here," Lorelai said.  
  
"I know, I considered making a cross with my fingers to see if he'd go away but..."  
  
"She's engaged, you know that, right?" Lorelai asked Jess.  
  
"Yeah, Davey here told me," he nodded.  
  
David cringed, Rory glared, and Lorelai considered killing him to prevent further problems.  
  
"Good. She is, and happy, so very happy, happier than she's ever been,"  
  
"What are you, his PR director?" Jess quipped.  
  
"Nope, just making sure you knew," Lorelai said.  
  
"Yes, the loving glances she's been shooting him are more than enough proof," he said sarcastically.  
  
"For your information I would be shooting him loving glances, but I was just a little surprised, that's all,"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I didn't expect -or hope- to see you here. Ever again. And in a suit..."  
  
"Well, I was going to wear my Tool t-shirt, but I thought the brain on the back might freak some people out, they're so uptight, oh, wait, you knew that. You're engaged to one of them." he said.  
  
"I need to leave," Rory said, turning and walking out the door without further notice.David was going to go after her, but Lorelai stopped him.  
  
"I'll go," she said.  
  
Rory was sitting on a bench in the park trying to figure out if she was having a dream, nightmare, or if by some cruel twist of fate, Jess was really standing in Luke's. In a suit. She still couldn't swallow that last part.  
  
"Honey?"  
  
She turned her head, "Hi, Mom,"  
  
"What are you feeling right now?"  
  
"Lots of things," Rory nodded.  
  
"Hurt?"  
  
"Mom, I don't feel like talking right now," she said apologetically.  
  
"Okay, I'll sit here quietly, maybe you will,"  
  
"I don't think I will, I just...need a second to process what happened." she stood up, "Tell Lane I'm sorry, I'll be back later and I swear we'll catch up,"  
  
"She'll understand," Lorelai said.  
  
"I know," Rory nodded as she went in the direction on the bridge.  
  
**  
  
A few minutes after she sat down she heard footsteps. She quickly tried to wipe away the few teardrops that had formed, not wanting anyone to see her crying.  
  
"Can I sit here?" Jess asked.  
  
She shrugged, "I don't care, but it might mess up your suit,"  
  
"That's okay," he said, sitting down.  
  
There was a silence, it wasn't that uncomfortable, surprisingly it was extremely comfortable. For a brief moment Rory wasn't engaged and Jess never left. They were 17 again.  
  
The of course someone had to break it. Nothing good lasted.  
  
"So, David seems..."  
  
"Nice? He is, he's wondrerful," Rory said, remembering that she was engaged.  
  
"I was looking for boring, but okay,"  
  
She gaped at him "He is not! He's great and he's definitely not boring,"  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really,"  
  
"So, other than counting his money, does Mr. Scrooge even have hobbies?"  
  
"Of course he does," she replied, trying to think of one besides golf.  
  
"Like what? Using a slingshot to hit giants in the head with a rock? Yeah, he seems like a slingshot type of guy, I'll bet that's his hobby. Does his slingshot have a gold handle?"  
  
"Hey, just because he doesn't steal lawn gnomes for a hobby doesn't mean he doesn't have any,"  
  
"Well, he doesn't know what he's missing out on, but I don't do that anymore, if I want a lawn gnome I can go buy one,"  
  
"Well, good for you," she said irritated.  
  
"Well, I couldn't just be a punk all my life, could I?" he replied.  
  
"You mean you're not a punk anymore?"  
  
"Of course I am, but now I'm more,"  
  
"Wow, I see your ego has grown," she nodded, looking back out at the water.  
  
After a couple minutes of silence she spoke again, "So, what are you?"  
  
"Excuse me?" he frowned.  
  
"Well, the suit, and the meeting..."  
  
"Same as David, CEO,"  
  
"Wow, I never thought I'd hear those words together,"  
  
"Jess and CEO?"  
  
"Yeah, I pictured you as more of a writer or maybe even English teacher or...something, but not that." she shook her head.  
  
"Yeah, me neither," he admitted. "But it works. What about you?"  
  
"What about me?" she asked.  
  
"Well, what are you doing? Are you an overseas correspondent yet?"  
  
"No, I work at a magazine, not my dream job, but I love it,"  
  
"Huh,"  
  
"I can make brownies now," she blurted after a minute of silence, then turned red and wished she could take it back.  
  
He chuckled, "Good to know,"  
  
"Yeah," she said, willing her face to stop getting more red by the second. "I have no idea why I just said that,"  
  
"Me neither, but it was cute," he smirked.  
  
"Did you just say cute?"  
  
"Yeah, my vocabulary 'getted' bigger,"  
  
She laughed, "Oh, okay,"  
  
He smiled at her, he missed that laugh.  
  
After a couple more minutes of comfortable silence, Rory decided to leave before she went back to disliking him.  
  
"I should go, I have- we, we have to be at my Grandma's tonight and if I'm not home it just gives my mom another reason to 'forget', so.."  
  
"Okay," he said, as he followed suit and stood up.  
  
"So...you're in my way," she said, half smiling.  
  
"Huh, so I am,"  
  
"Could you move, please?"  
  
"As you wish," he nodded.  
  
For a minute his words had thrown her back into the past when they were 17 again, she always hated that trip.  
  
"You never should've left," she said simply before walking away, leaving him to stare after her.  
  
**  
  
A/N: *gets an excited look* So? Was that better? That was better, right? If that was not better I'm going to run away and elope with Mr.CEO and say forget the story! lol, okay, not true, I love this story. But still. But see? I brought Jess back! I told you I would! And look how soon! The second I got home I started on it!! Thank you guys for the reviews, they're the reason I updated so quickly! See? They ARE useful! They nucge me to update! I am so glad I updated..of course now I'm leaving for a couple days again..but when I get back I'll read the reviews *wink, wink* and then maybe I'll start on another update because my writer's block for this story is gone..or at least it's playing hooky if it is here!!!PLEASE REVIEW if you want more!!!:D See, it's an incentive program! 


	6. Telling the Grandparents

Disclaimer:ASP -although stupid- owns basically all the characters, but the plot's mine..although if she'd like to borrow it more power to her. I own David and Will, you can have David, but I'm keeping Will *chases him* Come back! I wanna play Little People!  
  
A/N:OMG! You guys are the coolest people ever, just so you know! I love reviews! Seriously, my inbox was my best friend! Sorry it took so long to update again, I just got caught up with Back In My Life and...I didn't get around to this again...so, I'm sorry! I'm just...I wish I had a plan for this story *blush* Oh well, you've waited long enough, on with the show!  
  
Oh, and yeah, as Jin pointed out Mr. CEO could've meant David *gets sick* I meant Mr. Mariano-CEO!  
  
Jin, I have to pick a bone with you...I DO NOT HAVE A STORY WHERE JESS IS ENGAGED TO SOMEONE WHO'S NOT RORY!!!! You confused my story with ...someone ELSE'S story!! I feel so betrayed...unless it was a good story, hehe!...okay, dramatic moment over! BUT, your review rocked, so all's forgiven!:D  
  
Tye: Um, for one thing, Kudos to you for the Kurt/Kurt thing, I cannot believe you're the first person who noticed that!! But, um, would it be bad if I did have Kurt named Kurt because of..Kurt? I just said Kurt a lot. But...would it?...*contemplates hiding*  
  
Oh, and I hope you all love/hate me, because I gag writing Rory and David and I do it for you(hehe, how generous of me. Huh?), if it was my decision --which, okay, I guess it is, but I have you guys in mind-- there would be no plot. Just one big Rory and Jess reunion/make-out session!  
  
Okay, I'm done now.   
  
**  
  
Luke, Lorelai, Rory, David, and Will all stood on the front porch of the Gilmore mansion.  
  
"Why are we just standing here?" David finally asked.  
  
"Sh!" Lorelai hissed before bowing her head and retreating back to her solemn silence.  
  
"Mom's being overly dramatic," Rory whispered, "Just be quiet, she won't go in a minute before,"  
  
About 30 seconds later Lorelai let out a long sigh and decided she had to ring the doorbell. "Well make the little one go in first," Lorelai said, moving Will in front of her.  
  
Emily opened the door with a smile on her face, "Come in, Lorelai, don't look like you're at your funeral."  
  
"I could only be so lucky," Lorelai mumbled.  
  
"Rory, how lovely to see you," she hugged Rory.  
  
"Hi Grandma,"  
  
"Is this David?" Emily asked, smiling warmly at him.  
  
"Yep," Rory placed a hand proudly on David's shoulder, "This is David, David, my Grandma,"  
  
"Nice to meet you," he smiled.  
  
"Rory's told us all about you, you'll have to excuse Richard, he's taking an 'important' business call,"   
  
"If anyone understands that it's David," Rory said.  
  
"Well, don't just stand out here all night, come in," Emily scolded Lorelai, who had stayed outside while David and Rory came in.  
  
Lorelai walked in the house, making Will enter first.  
  
"Lorelai," Luke scolded.  
  
"Killjoy," Lorelai mumbled as she followed him in.  
  
"Emily, have you seen- oh, you're here," Richard smiled.  
  
"Hi Grandpa," Rory grinned.  
  
"Rory, we haven't seen you in ages,"  
  
"You would've been here when she got here if you hadn't been taking your 'important business call'," Emily said.  
  
"Have you been here long?" Richard inquired.  
  
"No, we just got here, we-"  
  
"Still, you could've been in here, we haven't seen Rory for months," Emily insisted.  
  
"So, Mom, off anyone's head lately?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"She said she's getting hungry," Luke said quickly, "But when is she not?"  
  
Lorelai made kissy noises, "Someone's being a kiss-up,"  
  
Luke reddened slightly.  
  
"Mom, leave Luke alone," Rory chuckled.  
  
"Come sit down, we want to meet David,"  
  
Rory fidgeted with her hands, knowing she'd have to tell her grandparents that she was engaged, but not understanding why she was nervous, they already liked him.  
  
They all sat down, Rory next to David, Lorelai between Luke and Will.  
  
"So, David, how are you?" Emily asked.  
  
"I'm fine, thank you,"  
  
"This is the first we've been able to meet you,"  
  
"Yeah, work's crazy," he nodded.  
  
"That is true, he barely has time for me," Rory said, smiling warmly.  
  
"I understand that," Emily said, glancing and almost glaring at Richard.  
  
"Um, Grandma, Grandpa, we have something to tell you," Rory decided to get it over with.  
  
"Oh, okay," Emily turned her attention to Rory and David, knowing what was coming.  
  
"Okay, um, as you know we've been seeing each other for a long time now, a really long time, and we love each other and....Jess and I are engaged," she blurted, then clapped her hand over her mouth as the room fell silent for about a millionth of a second.  
  
"What?!" Emily shrieked.  
  
"David! I mean, David, David and I are engaged, not....I...I love David and...so, we're engaged. I think." she glanced at David, guilt written all over her face.  
  
"She had two different things on her mind and you know how we Gilmores are, our thoughts just blend together. When I told Luke I was pregnant with Will I was also trying to get something fixed at the inn and I said 'Luke, we're going to have an inn!'" Lorelai said.  
  
"No you didn't," Luke said.  
  
She stomped his foot.  
  
"Ow! I mean, right, yeah." he corrected.  
  
"Why did Rory say Jess?" Emily asked.  
  
"Yeah, I wouldn't mind knowing that also," David said.  
  
"I was thinking about....something that's not Jess because thinking about Jess is something I never do. I haven't done that for years. But,...yeah, I have no idea why that slipped out. I meant David, David and I are engaged." she stumbled.  
  
"Who wants to have a food fight?" Lorleia asked excitedly.  
  
David just stared at the ground, Rory looked nervously at David and Luke was glaring at Lorelai to keep her from spouting off more stupid things.  
  
It was a lovely evening.  
  
**  
  
The ride home was fairly silent. As soon as they got there David went to do his nightly ritual and Rory flopped down on the couch next to Lorelai.  
  
"Well, that sucked." Lorelai stated.   
  
"A food fight?" Rory stared at her mother in disbelief.  
  
"I was trying to shift the attention away from my ungrateful little daughter who seems to be engaged to Jess," Lorelai said pointedly.  
  
"With a food fight?"  
  
"I only threw one roll!" Lorelai defended.  
  
"At Grandma!"   
  
"It's been a dream of mine since she told me to sit up straight at the table." Lorelai nodded with a grin.  
  
"Mother,"  
  
"I was two." Lorelai stated.  
  
"Oh... Well, still."  
  
"Besides, the look on her face ..." Lorelai chuckled.  
  
Rory tried to stifle a smile, "That is so not the point."  
  
"It was funny, I almost died laughing,"  
  
"You didn't laugh," Lorelai glanced at her mother.  
  
"On the inside my side was splitting." Lorelai explained.  
  
"Well, I'm glad someone enjoyed tonight." Rory said.  
  
"Ah, yeah, what are we going to do about this whole David thing?"  
  
"There is no thing, I'll explain ...whatever was going through my head and apologize profusely, tomorrow he'll have forgotten all about it." Rory shrugged.  
  
"Explain? Are you sure you CAN?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, are you sure you can tell David what was going through your head?"  
  
Rory looked down, wondering how her mother always seemed to be on the inside of her thoughts. It was spooky.  
  
"Of course, why should I not?"  
  
"Well, because I'm not sure that even you know what was going through your head and I AM sure that if you do know, it's not something David would want to hear."  
  
"It's not like I want to be engaged to Jess or anything," Rory said defensively.  
  
"I know, hon, I never said that."  
  
"I know, but the 'you still like Jess' suggestion was in your tone."  
  
"Ugh, I have a tone? My mother has a tone; help me get rid of the tone." Lorelai whined.  
  
"Well, that's not it. I don't even know why I was thinking of Jess, it's ridiculous. I am engaged. I'm done with Jess. He's not my boyfriend anymore and I don't want him to be but I can't quit..."  
  
"Thinking about him?" Lorelai finished.  
  
Rory sighed, "Yeah,"  
  
"You know," Lorelai looked at the ground, "I'm the absolute last person that I would have ever thought to say this, but...um, maybe you should ...talk to Jess about... not about this, but about your relationship, maybe see why he left and-"  
  
"I don't think I want to know." Rory interrupted.  
  
"Well, you don't think you want to know, but-"  
  
"If he wanted me to know he'd tell me. I don't want to dredge all that up again. I want it to be over. It IS over. I want to leave it that way."  
  
"I understand that, but -"  
  
"No. This is over. This conversation and the entire Jess chapter." Rory said standing up.  
  
"Rory,"  
  
"I'm fine, I'm embarrassed about tonight and I have to apologize and recover from the fact that you advised me to talk to Jess,"  
  
"Yeah, about that, pretend it didn't happen, because if anyone ever found out..."  
  
"Yeah, it would completely ruin the image of you hating him." Rory nodded, "But you shouldn't hate him. I don't."  
  
"So, you're just going to quit talking to Jess, quit thinking of Jess and pretend that he doesn't exist so you can pretend there's no problem?"  
  
"I'm not doing that,"  
  
"You are so doing that."  
  
"I'm not avoiding the issue, Mom,"  
  
"Uh, yes you are. You are super avoiding the issue."  
  
"I am not. It's been dealt with,"  
  
"Yes, it's been dealt with .....and John Bender is a sweetie among men."  
  
Rory smiled, "That's it,"  
  
"What's it?"  
  
"Let's have a movie night tomorrow night, David has never seen Breakfast Club, and maybe including him in family things...."  
  
"Oh, my brilliant daughter, Yale really works," Lorelai grinned.  
  
"Well, sure, or common sense." Rory nodded.  
  
"Do not mock your mother." Lorelai mocked.  
  
Rory smiled, "Okay, so, Breakfast Club and ...?"  
  
"Sixteen Candles,"  
  
"Okay, Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles, tomorrow, sound good?"  
  
"I've raised you well," Lorelai nodded.  
  
"I should invite Lane and Dave, and Kurt could play with Will,"  
  
"The more the merrier, tell them to bring chips,"  
  
"Great, I'll go call Jess."  
  
"What?" Lorelai frowned.  
  
"The more the merrier, he can bring dip,"  
  
Lorelai stood up and followed her daughter, "Um, considering tonight I really don't think that's the best idea. I mean, Jess and David at the same movie night? Let's just invite N*SYNC and the Backstreet Boys. Maybe Britney and Christina can come, I doubt they're busy, when are they ever?They could bring those rice cake things that no one actually eats,"  
  
"Very funny, I'm inviting Jess, end of story."  
  
"I suppose informing you that this is my house and he's not invited in it wouldn't do any good?" Lorelai called.  
  
"About as much good as a hairbrush in the 80s," Rory called back.  
  
"Fine, make him bring popcorn too," Lorelai pouted.  
  
**  
  
Rory closed her bedroom door and plopped down on her bed as she dialed the numbers.  
  
"Hello?" answered the voice on the other end.  
  
"Hi," Rory said, forgetting to say it was her because she never did before.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"No, the other person in Stars Hollow that likes you." she replied sarcastically.  
  
She could hear him smirk, "Oh, right,"  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Not much, I wasn't really expecting a call, oh wait, yes I was, is this the same person who left the death threat to leave Stars Hollow immediately or else? I believe her name was ....Laura, no, Lauren, no..."  
  
Rory chuckled, "Lorelai?"  
  
"That's it," he nodded with a smirk.  
  
"Yeah, I wouldn't put it past her. I'm sorry she gave you such a hard time about getting a room at the inn,"  
  
"That's okay, I didn't expect het to try to make my life easier,"  
  
"No, but still, it was nice of you to want to come to her inn,"  
  
"Well, it's a nice inn,"  
  
"She thanks you,"  
  
"She does not."  
  
"Okay, she doesn't, but I'm pretending she does because it seems polite." she informed him.  
  
"It does, thank you Miss Manners,"  
  
"You're welcome." she nodded.  
  
"So,..."  
  
"Oh, yeah, the reason I was calling, um, tomorrow night we're having a movie night and we wanted to invite you to come. Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles,"  
  
"We?"  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
"All of you?"  
  
"Well... Luke and I want you to come," she said with a slight grimace.  
  
"And Lorelai?"  
  
"Will not let you in if you don't bring popcorn and dip,"  
  
"Would red vines get me brownie points?"  
  
"Yes, good thinking," she smiled.  
  
"Well, I spent enough time with Gilmores to know that junk food along with massive amounts of coffee is the way to their hearts."  
  
"Yeah," Rory mused.  
  
A short silence lingered on the line as they both wished that he would've worded his comment differently.  
  
He cleared his throat to break the silence, "So, uh, when is it?"  
  
"Oh, um, four?"  
  
"Okay, I'll be there."  
  
She smiled softly, "Good. Don't forget the red vines,"  
  
"I wouldn't dream of it,"  
  
"Good," she said, "I'll see you then."  
  
"Okay, see you then,"  
  
She hung up the phone with a sigh as she curled up on the bed and got lost in memories that she knew she shouldn't dredge up.  
  
***  
  
A/N: Okay, sorry I took longer than I planned.... that should be my name. *rolls eyes at self* Anyhoo, My computer is going to be down for a few days to a week but as soon as it's back up MOVIE NIGHT!!!! YaY! I won't take so long to get that one up, sorry this one took ...too long, because you guys are super nice! I love the word super. Anyhoo, PLEASE REVIEW!!! *Grin* I rhymed!   
  
Review, review, review! Please and Thanky! *grin* 


	7. You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Disclaimer: Yeppers, I own David and Will and ...David's ego. Hehe. But I don't own the rest of it, you know, the WB and ASP and all the people that screwed up the Literati storyline own the show. Life's so fair, huh? *grin*  
  
A/N: Okay, Happy New Year!! And Valentine's Day! And Jess Came Back Day! And the reason for the lack of update is....I...died. Yeah, I did, it was really sad. But it was one of those 24-hour deaths. It just took awhile to recover. I'm better now!  
  
Thanks for the reviews guys! I love them soo much! I actually intended to write the movie night along with the last chapter, but then that chapter got a little on the long side and I didn't want to write too much at once, so I had to put a space between the chapters...plus that way I could update sooner! But it's taken me forever and ever because I'm working on updates for two other stories, so I'm being slow. Not to mention babysitting and pesky homework. But I'm updating now!  
  
But this chapter is movie night and I'm probably more excited to write it than you are to read it but it's going to be fun!!!!  
  
And instead oh babbling I think I'll just give you the chapter, although I really want to ramble about how I saw a Distillers video (finally!) and Brody Armstrong scared me. But, a lot of things scare me, including demanding poeple who want an update *wink* So, I'll give you guys the update. Right now.  
  
***  
  
"Bad idea, bad idea, Rory has a bad idea." Lorelai chanted.  
  
"Mother, stop, you've been singing that all day, it's starting to bug me."  
  
"Bug you enough to make you call Jess and tell him not to come?" Lorelai asked hopefully.  
  
"Nope. Jess is coming to movie night." Rory said stubbornly.  
  
"This is a bad idea."  
  
"So you've said. I appreciate your opinion. Now, are you going to get the Breakfast Club DVD or do I have to get it myself?"  
  
"Bad idea. The worst idea ever."  
  
"You're exaggerating."  
  
"This situation does not need exaggeration," Lorelai insisted.  
  
"You're right, it needs comforting phrases, such as 'Honey, this is a good idea, you're doing the right thing,' not chants about it being a bad idea."  
  
"But it's a bad idea," Lorelai stated.  
  
"I'll get the movie." Rory nodded.  
  
"The worst idea since Barry Manilow decided to record Mandy."  
  
"Mom," Rory glanced at her mother with that "Yeah, right!" look.  
  
"This is the worst idea since The Offspring."  
  
"Mom."  
  
"This is the worst idea since-"   
  
"Mom!"  
  
"Fine, I'm stopping, but do you get it?"  
  
"That you think it's a bad idea? Yes."  
  
"Do you care?"  
  
"I do care, I just disagree with you."  
  
"Why are you doing this? We hate Jess. Jess is bad. Jess is like tea in this household."  
  
"Something only Luke and I like?"  
  
"Since when do you like tea?"  
  
"Since...now. That's not the point. I will not hate him."  
  
"You're a good man, Charlie Brown. But Jess shouldn't be invited to movie night."  
  
"I still disagree with you."  
  
"I don't understand how you can disagree, I mean, this is Jess we're talking about."  
  
"And he's the anti-Christ again?"  
  
"Yes, he left, he hurt you, he is now the ultimate bad."  
  
"He didn't mean to, besides, he's older, he's changed. I can tell," Rory said with an almost fond look in her eyes.  
  
Lorelai paused in horror. "Oh, Rory."  
  
"What?" Rory looked at her mother.  
  
"I saw it, I saw that look, I saw it!"  
  
"What look?" Rory gave a look that said she had no idea what Lorelai was talking about.  
  
"The look. The look that made me forget about David for a second and think you were 17 again. You're engaged, Rory."  
  
"I know that, Mom. I was there when he proposed."  
  
"Then why did you accept it? Because you obviously still have a thing for Jess. What, did you just figure you'd never see him again?"  
  
"I do not have a thing for Jess."  
  
"Is this still a full-blown thing? Or is this a leftover thing?"  
  
"There is no thing." Rory shook her head.   
  
"Denying the thing doesn't make the thing go away, just ask Dean," Lorelai replied.  
  
"This is not like that, I have moved on, Jess has moved on. Oh! Why didn't I ask him if he had a girlfriend? Oh well, I will. Someday."  
  
"Rory," Lorelai gave her that "you know I'm right" look.  
  
"I swear, there is no thing. Please drop it." she added the last part a little softer.  
  
Lorelai gave a slightly pouty look but dropped it. "I still think this is a bad idea. This is not how I meant to talk to Jess."  
  
"I'm not doing it to talk to him, I'm doing it because he's in town and I'm in town and ... I missed him a little bit," Rory admitted. "But maybe we could be friends again."  
  
"Yeah, 'cause look how well that turned out last time," Lorelai shook her head.  
  
"We're not getting into this again. This is a very old conversation, it ended years ago."  
  
"I thought it did, but apparently it didn't. I thought this was gone, I know you missed him but... Okay, um, well, there are absolutely no questions about the 'Jess and I are engaged' thing now."  
  
"I am so sick of fighting with you about Jess!"  
  
"Um," Luke interrupted meekly, "Lane's here."  
  
Lane glanced at Rory with that "We need to talk" look.  
  
Rory looked at her mother, "I'll be back."  
  
Lorelai frowned thoughtfully as Rory walked out and Lane followed closely behind. Luke just shifted nervously.  
  
"What was that all about?" he finally asked.  
  
"Jess, what else?" Lorelai said as she walked into the other room.  
  
*  
  
"Okay, I think I stepped into a time warp or something because I just heard you say something about fighting with your mom about Jess," Lane said.  
  
"I invited him to movie night and she didn't want me to."  
  
"Wow, why?"  
  
"I don't know why, she thinks it's a bad idea."  
  
"No, I meant why would you invite Jess to movie night?"  
  
"Oh. Because,..."  
  
"Is this some sort of plot for revenge and you're going to swap Sixteen Candles and Breakfast Club for Crossroads and On the Line? And if so, good plan, but why didn't you tell me so I could've brought earplugs and blindfolds?"  
  
"No, it's not payback, I really want to have Jess over. Why is everyone having such a hard time believing that?"  
  
"Well, because we all hate Jess and we kind of thought you would too."  
  
"Why? Just because he left?"  
  
"Yeah," Lane nodded and munched on a chip.  
  
"Well, I don't," Rory decided after a moment's consideration.  
  
"Not at all?"  
  
"Nope, just because he left me I am not going to hate him."  
  
"Taking the high road. I like that," Lane nodded.  
  
*  
  
Later that evening there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Oh, that must be those pesky knocking birds. I'll just grab some hot coffee to throw at them and I'll take care of it."  
  
"Mom," Rory stepped in front of her mother. "You know that's Jess. You should not answer the door."  
  
"But this is my house, I'm expected to answer the door."  
  
"That must be why Jess is hiding in the bushes," Lane nodded.  
  
Rory stepped past Lorelai and opened the door. "Hello," she greeted Jess.  
  
"Hello," he greeted.  
  
"Glad to see you not in the bushes."  
  
"What?" he frowned slightly.  
  
She smiled, "Never mind. Come in."  
  
"I brought the red vines," he showed them to her.  
  
"Red vines, nobody said anything about red vines," Lorelai perked up.  
  
"I told you they would be a good idea," Rory said to Jess.  
  
"When is a Gilmore ever wrong?" he replied.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Hi Jess," Will greeted.  
  
"Hey, half pint," Jess replied.  
  
"Come here, I wanna show you what I made last weekend," Will said, grabbing Jess' hand and leading him in the living room. Jess and Will had met the previous day and Will immediately liked Jess.  
  
"Wow," Jess looked at the pottery ...thing, trying to figure out what it was. "That's good."  
  
"David didn't know what it was," Will said somewhat disapprovingly.  
  
"He didn't? Wow, and it's so obvious. He must not have an eye for talent."  
  
Will smiled. "I'm glad you know what it is."  
  
"Of course I do," he replied, hoping Will didn't make him say what it was because he would have to pretend to die.  
  
"It's a great vase," Rory said, smirking at Jess.  
  
"Yes, exactly," Jess nodded.  
  
"Rory said she wanted to get some pretend flowers to put in it. Next time I do it I'm going to make her one, she asked me to."  
  
"Well, when you're done with hers make sure you make me one."  
  
Will grinned, "I will!"  
  
"Okay, enough schmoozing," Lorelai half glared at Jess, "I'm going to make the popcorn."  
  
"Do you need some help, Lorelai?" David asked.  
  
"Making a bowl of popcorn?" Jess raised an eyebrow. "Now who's schmoozing?"  
  
Lorelai and David glared at him in unison.  
  
"No, I can handle it, but thank you, David," she said pointedly at Jess.  
  
"What are the chances I get stoned if you turn your back?" Jess asked Rory.  
  
"Very, very, very high. I wouldn't recommend it," she replied.  
  
"It was very brave of you to come here tonight," Lane told him.  
  
"Well, courage is my middle name."  
  
"Walk into a room alone with Lorelai and you'll prove it," Lane replied.  
  
"Will she have a sharp object with her?"  
  
"Several sharp objects and a large duffel bag."  
  
"No, thank you."  
  
"That's what I thought."  
  
A few minutes later the pizza got delivered.  
  
"Joe got a new delivery guy and he's a solid nine," Lorelai said with a smile. "Shame for delivery guy that we already have a good 51 in here."  
  
"A good 51?" Rory questioned as she took a piece of popcorn.  
  
"I know I'm no Brad Pitt but I would've thought I was at least a two or three," Dave said.  
  
"No, we have Luke, obviously my wittwe tensy wensy," she said in baby talk as she picnched his cheeks.  
  
"Stop," Luke said, almost blushing.  
  
"Then we have Will and, " she scoffed, "I mean, look at him, definitely a 10. Dave and Kurt, total 10s. Then Rory's David, obviously a ten. And Jess...well, he's here, so we'll give him a one."  
  
Jess rolled his eyes, "I'm honored that I got a rating at all."  
  
"I'm sorry, but Jess is definitely not a one," Rory said, shaking her head and getting a glance/glare from David.  
  
"Yeah, sorry, I have to agree with Rory, one is pretty harsh," Lane agreed.  
  
"Yeah, and he's finally out of the suit," Rory pointed out.  
  
"So 52?" Jess asked.  
  
"Ah, I'll be nice and go 55," Rory smiled.  
  
He rolled his eyes playfully, "Nice."  
  
David, looking rather unhappy, got up and excused himself to the kitchen to help Lorelai with the pizza.  
  
***  
  
The second movie just went off. David was bored out of his mind, the kids were still playing happily and Rory and Jess --who were now sitting side by side-- were eating popcorn and talking about something non-movie related and hadn't even realized it was over.  
  
"Okay, who wants to help clean up?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"The movie's not- I missed the end!" Rory realized.  
  
"And the middle and most of the beginning," David said annoyedly.  
  
"Aw, I missed Claire give Bender the earring?" Jess frowned.  
  
"If she did you did," David replied, standing up.  
  
Rory, being as brilliant as she was, sensed something was wrong with David and got up to follow him.  
  
"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked.  
  
"You payed no attention to the movie or me, you were too busy talking to your ex-boyfriend, whom you seem to think you're engaged to."  
  
"David, we were just talking, and we didn't talk through the whole movie, only a few parts."  
  
"You saw none of it. You even interrupted the movie several times while laughing at something Jess said. Why did you even invite me? It's obviously him you wanted to invite, not me."  
  
"David, that's not true, I wanted you to be included in one of our family things. I was trying to -"  
  
"And you think of Jess as family?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then why was he here?"  
  
"For the same reason Lane and Dave are here, because he's my friend. The second part of boyfriend is friend. We were friends. I wasn't aware that I wasn't allowed to invite my friends to a movie night in my own home."  
  
"I just think it's a little ridiculous that you have to sit by him-"  
  
"You were sitting by me, too!"  
  
"- And talk to him and throw popcorn at him-"  
  
"He was mocking one of my favorite parts, that was not a friendly gesture."  
  
"Then why were you smiling?"  
  
"Takes less muscles than frowning?" she shrugged.  
  
"Whatever. I'm just making the point that I may as well have been somewhere else, because that's how much attention you payed to me."  
  
"David, I wasn't-"  
  
"Yes, you were. Whatever you're about to say you weren't doing, you were. You were ignoring me. You we're paying attention to Jess. You were getting awkward glances from everyone in the room. I had to look at your finger a few times to make sure I wasn't dreaming and I really did propose to you, because you were not acting like you were engaged. Not to me, anyway."  
  
"David, I'm sorry if you think ...but it's not true, I was-"  
  
"Whatever. I'm going outside to get some air- not that you'll notice," he said before walking out.  
  
Rory stood there wondering if David was right. Was she pretending he didn't exist? Had Jess been her main focus? More importantly, WHY was Jess her main focus? She sighed and stared at her ring. She still hadn't gotten used to that thing being there, and she was beginning to wonder if she ever would.  
  
****  
  
A/N: I finally updated! Wahoo! Sorry it took so long, but I made it a long chapter! So that counts, right? Right? So, review and tell me how much you love Jess- I mean, me. Or hate me. If you hate Jess we have a severe problem. But me, very understandable seeing as how David has not been fed to hungry sharks. Yet. *smirk* Who loves David? Come on, show of hands. All together now! No one? Huh, good, then no one will hate me when I feed him to the hungry sharks! PLEASE REVIEW!!! Thanky! 


	8. Time Waits For No Man

Disclaimer: I don't own the show. I don't own the characters, except for David and Will and the ones that you don't recognize from Gilmore Girls. No, I have nothing creative to say today. But I do own Howl now, so I'm happy about that. I didn't write it, obviously, but I own a copy.  
  
A/N: I'm cake! Thank you Arianna(555), Smile(1) and Gythien Elven Babe! I love you guys!! The rest of you non-reviewers(except for Just A Reader because you already explained), *shakes finger* I should make you all talk to David. Okay, I'm not that mean, but still. Although you guys probably took one look at I'm With You and decided that I'd been taken over by some evil force. So I understand, I wondered too. But I'm back and I'm updating and I would appreciate reviews *puppy dog eyes* Please? If I don't get some reviews I might be tempted to bring back Dean and his floppy haired infants. You don't want that, now do you? Lol, sorry, I'm a bit loopy and mean. Anyhoo, read and enjoy! And I have to say, I'm beginning to understand the WB, you get more feedback from being evil! Muahahahaha! Okay, I'm officially too loopy. Sorry, read! I'm not mean. I'm nice. Sometimes.*grin* Sweet and sour, sugar and spice. Read!!   
  
****  
  
The rest of the night Rory and David basically avoided each other. Lorelai kept looking at them with a slightly worried look, then marking down another reason to hate Jess on her already long list.  
  
That night, to fit the mood, there was a storm. Rory couldn't fall back asleep after waking up. She had to fight the urge to go crawling into her mother's room a few times after reminding herself that she was a grown woman who had been through many storms since moving out. But there was something about being back in Stars Hollow that made her time warp. She had won the fight to not go to her mom, but she still couldn't fall asleep. She crawled out of bed, careful not to wake her sleeping fiancé and went in the living room. She turned on the light and opened a book. After only three pages the power went out. She sighed.  
  
"Great," she mumbled to herself. Then she got an idea.  
  
She stood up and put the book on the couch, carefully walking in to grab her phone. She looked at the phone. Dead battery. Wonderful, she thought. Well, there goes that idea, she thought. Then she noticed David's cell phone. It was fully charged already. She picked it up and pushed the numbers.  
  
"Hello?" answered a sleepy voice.  
  
"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" she asked.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Yeah, who else would call at one in the morning?"  
  
"One of my many adoring fans. Is everything okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I just...um, the power went out and..."  
  
She didn't have to complete her thought, he already knew it. "Oh, okay. Is Frankenstein in the kitchen again?"  
  
"No, I broke up with Dean a long time ago," she teased.  
  
He chuckled at that. "Right, now I remember."  
  
She smiled. "I missed you," she blurted.  
  
That comment he was taken off guard by. "I missed you, too," he replied after a small silence.  
  
Another short silence lingered on the line. Neither sure of what to say.  
  
"Do you want me to come over?" he finally asked.  
  
"Could you?"  
  
"I'll be right over," he said.  
  
She smiled. "I knew you'd say that."  
  
"You're crazy."  
  
"Thank you," she said with a grin.  
  
He couldn't fight a smile as he hung up and shook his head. She was crazy, but that's how he liked it.  
  
**  
  
Rory waited by the window until she saw Jess' car pull up. Then she went to the door so he wouldn't wake anyone.  
  
"Hello," she greeted before he could even make it to the porch.  
  
"Aw, couldn't wait to see me, huh?"  
  
"Put the ego away."  
  
"I'll try," he said, nodding, as he walked in the house. "So, how do you deal with storms in New York?"  
  
"Very easily. I don't know, there's something about being here..."  
  
"Stars Hollow, the black hole of Connecticut."  
  
"It's not a black hole, it just...it makes me feel younger than I am."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Good, it's not just me."  
  
"And your mom's lived here for most of her life, so that would explain her."  
  
Rory smiled. "Be nice."  
  
"I'm always nice."  
  
"Yeah, sure you are."  
  
"When have I not been nice?"  
  
"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to," she said.  
  
"Right. I'll keep that in mind. So, why weren't you asleep by the time the storm hit?" he changed the subject.  
  
"I was, but I woke up and I couldn't fall back asleep."  
  
"So your first instinct was to call me?"  
  
"Yes," she answered simply.  
  
"Where's David?"  
  
"Sleeping. I didn't want to wake him up."  
  
He smirked. "Oh, so you wake me up?"  
  
"Exactly. I figured you owed me one anyway," she said with a small smile.  
  
"Yeah, I probably owe a lot of ones around here."  
  
"Then it's not one."  
  
"Yeah, but I'm not sure of an exact count. I'll go with a lot of ones."  
  
"Well, Luke would be at the top of that list," Rory said.  
  
"Luke would be at the top of that list," Jess agreed.  
  
"Anything you plan to do about it?"  
  
"Yeah," he began teasingly. "I think I'll steal you away from David, marry you, become Lorelai's son-in-law, have a few little Jesses and finally drive her to the insane asylum."  
  
Rory laughed quietly. "And how do you intend to do all that?"  
  
"By using my charming wit and good looks."  
  
She grinned. "There's the ego again. At least we know that grew."  
  
They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, not really wanting to disturb it.  
  
Finally Jess shattered the comfortable silence.  
  
"Why are you with him?"  
  
He took her by surprise with that question. She wasn't sure how to answer it. Finally she said the only reason she could think of. "Time waits for no man, Jess. Not even you."  
  
As if on cue the power came back on.  
  
"Power's on," she said, pointing out the obvious.  
  
"I see that."  
  
"And I need to reset clocks and sleep and ..."  
  
"Yeah."   
  
"So... you should probably get back and get some sleep."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Thank you for coming over," she said.  
  
"No problem."  
  
She walked him to the door. "So, I'll probably see you tomorrow."  
  
"Probably." He nodded.  
  
"So... bye." She went to close the door.  
  
"Rory," he stopped her.  
  
"What?"  
  
He hesitated for a moment as if contemplating, then he apparently decided to say it. "I'd take it back if I could."  
  
And with that he walked out, leaving her standing there in the doorway watching after him. "Jess, wait," she called, stepping out onto the front porch.  
  
He stopped and turned around, walking back to her. "What?"  
  
She paused, fighting the knot in her stomach. "Why did you leave?"  
  
He looked at the ground. As often as he had tried he had never come up with an answer good enough to actually tell her. So he stayed silent.  
  
"Do you have a reason at all? Or did you just leave because there was nothing keeping you here?"  
  
He decided to go with the most truthful answer he could give. After all, she deserved that. "I didn't know how to tell you."  
  
"Tell me what?" she asked, her heart skipping a beat.  
  
"That I love you," he said simply, before shoving his hands in his pockets and walking back to his car.  
  
Rory was too stunned to stop him this time. He said it, she thought. He finally said it. She watched him pull out of the driveway and sadly looked at her finger. He said it, but he waited too late. Now she had promised herself to someone else...   
  
Someone else who was standing in the hallway looking out at his fiancée` with an unhappy look on his face before he turned and went back to their room.  
  
******  
  
A/N: Okay party people, PLEASE REVIEW! It will make me smile... and it will make me want to write. Plus I think I was fairly Lit-generous in this chapter. I NEED YOUR OPINIONS! I get opinions in reviews. See how that works. Without opinions/reviews I don't know if I'm doing things how you guys like them and I therefore do not know when to fit in Rory and Jess' wedding. :D Hehe, okay, that time I was teasing you. If I don't get some reviews it's going to be Rory and David's wedding. *stern face*  
  
I'm going to start writing the next chapter here very soon because I already know what's going to happen. Let me just tease you by saying David is so not as Dean as I had initially intended to make him. But I REALLY need to know what you guys think. If you're loving it, if you're hating it, if you have the overwhelming urge to yell at me, tell me about it, because otherwise I'm not going to know. Even if you're my best friend and you hate something I'm doing I need you to tell me. Hey, if you don't want me to know you want to yell at me don't sign the review! I just need opinions! [/begging] 


	9. Good Sheets

Disclaimer: I own... well, I won't claim myself, because I'm not nice. ducks from the eggs being thrown in my direction 

A/N: Okay, so, I know i'm a completely horrible person. I haven't updated in forever and I should be tied to a tree and deprived of ever seeing Jess again. But if I'm tied to a tree I can't type, now can I? So let's not do that plan. I would love to say I have a very good excuse, and, actually, I do have a pretty good excuse, and it isn't even a good excuse forever. Here's why I haven't updated since people used their feet to make cars go. My writing has changed (improved, I hope) so when I look back at this it scares me. So I avoided it. Then I felt guilty and the guilt made me not update. Then I started writing an update and we got a new computer and my story went bye bye. Then I started to update (or form ideas to update) and my dad got cancer. We were going through the cancer thing and he got surgery that we thought would get rid of it, but instead it spread. He passed away in April, and so much has been going on that even if I would have had time to update I wouldn't have.  
But things are getting back to normal, I have a new Green Day CD, I went to New York for my birthday in May and Jin's coming to see me, so everything's floating smoothly back on track. And then I was cleaning out my e-mail account and I found some reviews that I never realized I had because of all the spam I didn't read, and I felt guilty. The review happened to be Always Trust Your Instincts and this story just flashed in my mind the other day, so fate seemed to be telling me to write it, and anyone who has seen Serendipity understands the importance of listening to fate mock solemn nod  
So, yes, i'm a horrible, horrible updater, and i'm sorry. It's just that the whole thing with Rory and Dea (with the floppy hair) also stole my inspiration. Ew. But I'm back and better than ever! Or if not, at least i'm back. cheeky grin Sorry I took so long, and I realize everyone has probably forgotten me, and if you see this and have forgotten the story I do not expect you to read the previous chapters, because it's really not my best work, although it is better than the butchering of the sprinkler scene that I did in one of my other stories. Sigh. i'm seriously considering rewriting that chapter and accidentally drowning Dean. )  
But yeah, I've also stopped watching Gilmore Girls completely, because the new Rory annoys me. So... But I have made it so that inspires me more. I'll write back when Rory and Jess were together, Rory and lorelai were friends, and the Gilmore world continued to spin on its axis. Also, I've decided to finally explain how Jess got where he is in this chapter, because I'm older and more creative now, so I can come up with something. Grin

So... here it is...And if I'm really bad at writing Rory it's because I'm out of practice, although if it just isn't recent Rory... that's because I haven't watched the show since the season four season finale. By the way, I hope nothing at all reminds you of the season four finale. It was so traumatizing that I've mentally blocked it out. Okay, not really, but I really did try to fill that part of my brain, and the finale is just a vague hazy image of... well, I won't describe the scene. you've all seen it. Or, if you haven't, you're lucky. And I don't remember how old Lily is, so...

_-recap_- It was storming and Jess came over to keep Rory company. When he left she asked why he left, and he said because he didn't know how to tell her he loved her. Then he left. Rory turned around and, like the horror movie character that he is, there stood David (Rory's future husband rolls around laughing).

* * *

The next day things between Rory and David were beyond tense. Rory had tried to talk to David the night before but he had just said, "Go to sleep, Rory." Lorelai had remarked on the tension, but instead of telling her why Rory just let her continue to think it was because of movie night and dinner with the grandparents. Rory, meanwhile, was all tied in knots. She knew that David had a reasonable reason to be mad at her, and she knew she didn't want him to be mad at her. She was marrying him. But everytime she thought about marrying David or why they needed to patch things up it seemed to be because her mom or grandparents would want her to. She had to take a pause when she realized that she never thought of her feelings for David. After all, he was never even around. Marriage to him would be more of a name thing. Although she would keep the Gilmore because of the magazine... So it wouldn't even be a name thing. But they would move in together. She wasn't sure why that didn't seem more excited. Probably because David hated her shaggy white couch, but she loved her shaggy white couch, so if they moved in together they would move into his place, and he wouldn't want her shaggy white couch. Vaguely she realized that she couldn't reject a marriage over a pice of furniture. And she liked David's mother. She was a very elegant woman, her reddish hair always perfect, she was always dressed nice, and she had the cutest little Maltese dog that Rory had ever seen. She was considering breeding her, and she said that she would give David and Rory one of the puppies.  
Rory frowned, realizing she couldn't decide whether to marry someone or not based on puppies and couches.

"Hey," Lorelai said, entering the kitchen. Then she frowned. "What are you doing?"

Rory looked down at the strainer in the sink. "Cooking."

Lorelai just stared. "Uh... why?"

"Because I learned how to make this really good... pasta thing... with chicken... I don't know, I forgot what it's called, but it's really good. I just thought I'd try to make some."

Lorelai tilted her head sympathetically. "Are things really bad between you and David?"

"I don't really want to talk about that right now," Rory stated as she poured the nodles into another bowl.

Lorelai sighed. "I guess movie night wasn't such a good idea."

"He loved me," Rory blurted.

Lorelai frowned. "Well, honey, I'm sure David still loves you, he's just mad at you. Fights happen."

"No, not David, Jess. Jess loved me. That's why he left. He loved me and instead of telling me he left, and he told me last night and that's why David hates me."

"Whoa, back up." Lorelai shook her head. "What are you talking about? When did Jess say this?"

"Last night."

"Whoa, okay..."

"And he left and David was standing right there. I don't know what I want anymore." Rory shook her head. "What am I doing? I can't cook. I wasted noodles. I just did an article about the starving children in Africa and here I am wasting noodles."

"Rory, honey, it's just a box of noodles."

"The children in Africa would not feel that way."

"Well, we'll give them to Sookie and they will not be wasted."

"Really? Good," Rory said. "I need to.. get some air or.. something."

"Okay," Lorelai said with a nod.

Rory pushed her hair behind her ear and walked out of the kitchen and out of the house.

Rory was walking toward the Dragonfly, trying to keep her distance. She drifted away by the footbridge, then she decided to go to the Dragonfly to check on the horses. She finally ran out of excuses to be near the Dragonfly, so she went back to the footbridge and stayed there. She was there for about 20 minutes before Jess finally came there.

"Hey," he said, sitting down beside her.

She smiled slightly and looked over at him. "Hey."

"Bring a picnic basket?" he asked with a smile.

She shook her head. "No. I was attempting to cook before I left, but then I remembered that I can't cook. I've tried to make it three times, and the first time I burned the noodles because I was making notes and forgot about them, then I cooked them too long and they were mushy, and the third time I undercooked them. After that I vowed to never attempt to cook noodles again."

He nodded. "Seems like a wise decision."

"I thought so."

He nodded. There was a small silence, and then he said, "I need to get back to California."

She was surprised that she felt a pull in her heart when he said that. "Right. You have... things waiting for you there."

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Work... girlfriend."

"No, no girlfriend, but lots of work. The CEO position has a lot of responsibilites. Who knew?" he asked jokingly.

"How did you get to be a CEO? I have to admit I never expected it. You didn't even want to go to college."

He sighed. "Long story."

"I have some time."

"Well, I went to California," he began.

"I remember," she murmured, looking out at the water.

He nodded. "Right. Well, I went there, I met my dad, and I stayed with him for a couple weeks until I got a job. I actually got a job at a bookstore, and the owner of the little bookstore was named Carl. He was old and he loved books as much as I do. So I mostly worked with him or alone. Well, I learned that Carl was only keeping the bookstore open because it had been his dad's and he didn't want it to close down. He had this really successful company and he was always working on stuff from there, papers, contracts, phone calls, and he would do all of that at the bookstore. He was never at the office. There wasn't a ton of business at the bookstore, so I would be doing nothing, and sometimes when he would bring the stuff he'd tell me what he was doing and I'd stick my nose in it. The longer I worked there the more I got into it and he told me I should take some college classes. I figured it couldn't hurt, so I started taking some classes. I ended up getting my bachelor's degree and I kept working at the bookstore. But then Carl died about a year and a half ago. He didn't have any kids because his wife couldn't have children, and even when she died he couldn't remarry because he was too much in love with her. He didn't really have any family left, just a niece in Montana. So, much to everyone's surprise, he left the company in my hands, he just asked that I keep the bookstore open."

Rory gaped at him. "Wow. That's... a very unique story."

He shrugged and smirked. "I'm a very unique man, what did you expect?"

"I'm sorry about Carl."

He sighed. "Yeah, so was I. He played the role of father better than my real one."

"You went from working at a bookstore to owning your own company?"

He gave her a lopsided grin. "Rags to riches, right? I don't know. Carl seemed to think there was something good in me," he said with a shrug.

"Of course there is," she replied. "Wasn't it a lot to handle though?"

He nodded. "Yeah. The first few months I have to admit I wasn't all that grateful for it. I mean, I did most of it with him, but on a small scale. Taking over the whole business... I didn't sleep for two weeks."

"I'll bet," she said sympathetically. "So, the company's in California?"

"One of the offices. My sister won't let me leave without her, and I don't have any reason to move, so..."

Her eyes widened. "You have a sister?"

"Well, a step-sister. Her name's Lily, she's Jimmy's step daughter. I have a brother, too. Half brother. When Jimmy and Sasha finally got married they had one. I don't think either one of them really want me to leave," he said.

She smiled. "That's so cute. I never pictured you as a brother."

"I didn't either, but I didn't see myself as a businessman either. I guess life really does hold a lot of surprises, doesn't it?"

Her smile turned into a small frown. "Yeah."

"So, what about you?"

"What about me?" she asked.

"What have you been up to?"

"Well... nothing quite so unique. Um, I have a half sister now, but I never see her, and I have Will. Uh, I went to Yale and got a job at a magazine, and while it isn't the New York Times I do get get to write about sort of important... news type... stuff."

He nodded. "You got engaged."

"Yeah... Well, I was. I don't know... Stars Hollow seemed to destroy our relationship actually."

"So the town is good for something then?"

She raised her eyebrows. "You helped. You had to make me feel all friendly to you and not hate you and then last night... and David was standing in the hallway watching me, and, well, you're smart, take a guess at how that made him feel."

He grimaced. "Oops."

"Yeah, so... I have a really tiny apartment in New York, and some people probably wouldn't love it, but I have the most comfortable couch."

"I haven't found one of those yet," he remarked.

"My couch is heaven," she said with a nod. "It's big and soft and you can just curl up with a blanket and a book and..." She smiled. "It's perfect."

"Does it swallow the living room?"

"Completely. You can barely walk in it."

He nodded. "My mom had one of those. Then again I guess the small spaces in New York probably have something to do with that."

"Yeah. My one friend is an art dealer and her apartment is big enough for a couch and a coffee table."

"Wow, a nice one then?"

Rory smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Have you been back to New York?"

"Yeah. I have a place there, but... I mostly stay in California because I run the LA offices."

"Have you seen your mom?"

"No. Luke told me she has some new boyfriend or something though."

Rory nodded. "T.J. is his name. I got to meet her."

"Really?"

She smiled and nodded. "But that was kind of awkward. It was worth it to see Luke stammer, but the whole, 'Yeah, this is Jess' ex-girlfriend' thing..."

"Uncomfortable?"

"Very. But we got over it and then everything was... nice." She frowned slightly. "So, what's your place in New York like?"

"Big for New York. It's three bedrooms, but the second bedroom is more like a library with a bed in the middle. I was telling Lily about it, and she wanted to go with me and see it, but I haven't been back since."

"Really? Was it Carl's or...?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod.

"Oh." She folded her hands in her lap and looked out at the water.

He took a breath and leaned back. "Read any good books lately?"

She smiled and leaned back. "Yeah. I was reading some Ayn Rand on the way here."

"I'm sorry, you must not have heard me right, I said good books."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you."

"What?"

"I need you to make me more notes."

"What?"

"Somebody stole my copy of September Blackberries, the one you made notes in after Howl, and I bought another one, but obviously there aren't any notes in it."

"I thought I vandalized your book."

She smiled. "Maybe, but I'm used to my vandalized books and I can't read Free Creatures without your notes." She shrugged. "It just isn't a complete reading experience."

"Okay, I'll just move back my telephone conference in London and make notes in your book."

She blushed. "I meant when you have time."

"I'm just joking with you. London can wait, Michael McClure obviously can't."

She smiled. "Obviously not."

Jess frowned and wiped a drop of water off his face. "Uh oh."

"What?"

"I think we're about to get wet."

"Oh no, I didn't bring my umbrella."

"Come on, we better get out of here."

The rain started coming instantly and it was pouring.

"Aw, man," Rory said. "See, this happened to me my first day in New York and I always carried an umbrella with me, but I didn't-" She stopped talking and looked up at Jess as he held his jacket over her head. "What are you doing?"

"Keeping you dry. Walk faster."

She smiled. "Why, is the rain messing with your hair?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to get wet? Because I could move this jacket."

She scowled at him and grabbed the jacket. "Don't even think about it, mister."

They got to the inn because it was closer, and Jess was drenched while Rory was mysteriously dry except for a few wet pieces of hair.

"Aw, " Rory said. "The drowned look is very nice on you."

"Yes, and the dry brat look works for you."

She smiled. "I may be a brat, but I'm dry and you're not."

"I'm going to change, I will be right back," he said, grabbing some clothes out of his suitcase and walking into the bathroom. Rory just smiled and shook her head, pulling her hair back off her neck. She sat down on Jess' bed and bounced slightly. "The bed's comfortable," she called.

"I know," he called back.

She climbed up on the bed more and laid down, looking up at the ceiling. "My bed isn't this comfortable. Is your bed this comfortable?"

"I have a comfortable bed, yes. If you're ever in California give me a call and you can try it out."

"Punk," she called back.

"Thank you," he replied.

She smiled and looked over at the black T-shirt on the pillow. She peeked to make sure he wasn't coming and then she picked it up and smelled it, breathing in his scent. She sighed and fell back on the pillow. She never smelled David's clothes. She didn't care about David's scent. It was a cologne scent, that bought from a bottle scent. Jess didn't have a bottled scent, his scent belonged to him and him alone.

"You don't wear cologne, do you?" she called to the bathroom.

"No. Should I?"

"No, I was just asking."

"No. I tried once, but Lily thought it was stupid and told me never to do it again, and Lily took after her mom in that she always knows best."

"You're close to her, huh?"

He opened the bathroom door and came out, running his fingers through his damp hair. "Yeah. She's cool. You tend to forget she's young."

"How old is she?"

"She's 17 now. Boys are starting to acknowledge her, and I admit that I don't really like it."

Rory smiled. "Chill out, she's 17. I was 17 when I dated you."

"Exaclty," he said. "Obviously 17- and 18-year-old boys are up to no good."

"They're not all like you."

"Well, they're either like me or Dean, and I would send her to a secluded island before I would let her date one of them. I think I'm judging the one kid unfairly because he reminds me so much of Dean. He has really floppy hair and he's as dumb as a post. The other one has an eyebrow piercing and a tattoo, and I just don't think he's quite right for Lily."

She grinned. "That is so cute. you're protective."

He shot her a look. "I'm attatched to the kid, I just don't want to see her with a loser or an idiot."

"So, who gets the Jess Mariano stamp of approval?"

He shrugged. "Haven't met him yet, but he's not in California."

"So she can never date or get married?"

"Nope. She can read. Reading is good."

"Get real, Jess. She's going to date someone, probably the one with the tattoo, they will date, fall in love, have fun, break up and she'll marry someone else."

"Like us?"

Suddenly the light mood left. "Well... They're not us, so I'm sure that will... turn out better."

"Like maybe he won't be an idiot and leave?"

She nodded. "Yeah, maybe. Or if he thinks about leaving maybe he'll at least tell her why first so she can tell him she feels the same way. Maybe if he doesn't leave without a single word it would turn out better."

"Seems like a stupid thing to do, doesn't it?"

"Very stupid. She would just be left wondering why he left the way he did, why he left at all, why he didn't just tell her how he felt instead of writing her a letter and going to the other side of the country."

"Maybe he wanted to and he chickened out," Jess said quietly.

She looked over at him. "Oh... It just didn't seem like something he would do."

"He was afraid. He had never felt anything like that before. Love can be... scary, especially when you don't have any experience with it."

She glanced at her hands. "I guess that's true."

He nodded. "He would take it back if he could."

"Then he wouldn't be a successful CEO," she pointed out.

"He would still take it back," Jess stated.

Rory folded her arms across her chest and looked at the floor. "So would she," she said quietly.

She turned her head to look at him, and since he was also looking at her they seemed to get a lot closer. She leaned in unconsciously and he leaned in to meet her, cupping her face in his hands and he leaned in and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned back, pulling him on top of her. Rory's hands wandered down to the hem of his T-shirt and she pulled it up, and he helped her get it off. She kissed his neck and then met his lips again. Next he went for her shirt, then she started working on the slacks he had put on.  
"You really should have worn sweat pants," she muttered.

"I'll remember that," he said.

She finally got them undone and she smiled up at him. He smiled back and crushed his lips to hers.

* * *

Rory drew idle circels on Jess' chest. "The sheets are nice, too." 

"I like the sheets," he said

She glanced up at him. "I think I'm not a good person."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Because I should feel guilty right now, and I don't, and obviously any good person would feel guilty."

"You should not feel guilty," he said.

"I'm in a relationship with someone who isn't you, yet here I am, in bed with you."

"You're not married."

"I know, but we were heading there." She looked back down at his chest and continued to trace circles with her finger.

"By the way, this has nothing really to do with what you were saying, but it is sort of important."

"What?" she asked, glancing up at him.

"Are you on birth control?"

She blushed and looked down again, shaking her head. "No."

"Huh," he said with a nod. "Well, I didn't either, so I may have taken a head start on getting those little Jesses to torture Lorelai."

Her eyes widened slightly and she touched her stomach with her free hand. She wasn't horrified by the thought as she should have been. In fact, judging by the little jump in her stomach, she wouldn't be at all opposed to it. Even if he was going back to California and she would have to do it alone.

"Well, that's okay," she said. "I mean, my mom raised me and she did fine. So it's not like I couldn't do it. If she could I could. So if that did happen it would be fine. My grandparents probably wouldn't be overly pleased, I don't think they really wanted me to follow in my mother's footsteps. But I am older, so maybe it wouldn't be a big deal. And my mom wouldn't love you, but she doesn't right now, so I'm sure she would get over it. But, yeah, so... no big deal," she rambled.

"Are you done?"

"With what?"

"The inane babbling?"

"Yes, I believe I am."

"Good. However, if you think I'm going to bow out peacefully you're out of your mind. If there is a little Jess in there," he said, patting her stomach, "he's as much mine as he is yours."

"You'll be in California, my job is in New York, how do we share, send it from one end of the country to the other every other week?"

"It would probably be easier if we were in the same place. The choice is yours. You can come to California or I could go to New York."

She stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"One of us has to relocate. It would he too hard to have a relationship on opposite ends of the country. I have to make some calls if you want me to go to New York though, because I'd have to move the guy in New York to Californa, tie up loose ends, show his what to do, change some of my duties and phone numbers and things like that to New York... it would probably be easier if you moved."

"A relationship?"

"Yeah."

"You want to have a relationship?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Of course."

"Oh. Really?"

"Of course." He smirked. "After all, there might not be a little Jess in there, and never say that I give up so easily."

She smiled. "You would try to remedy that?"

"Of course," he said, kissing her briefly. "It might take a lot of trying..." he said, raising his eyebrows.

"A big sacrifice for you, I'm sure."

"Oh, huge. But I'm very dedicated to my cause."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed her. Then he stoppped, said, "Oh," and pulled back.

"What are you doing?" she asked as he grabbed her hand.

"Taking this hideous thing off your hand," he said, pulling her ring off.

"I'm gonna need that back," she stated.

"To give back to him?" Jess said, to make sure.

She stifled a smile and looked up innocently. "I don't know. I might need a little convincing..."

He gave her one of his lopsided grin. "I'm very good at the convincing."

She smiled and pulled his face down to hers again, giving him another passionate kiss.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, I have to say I seriously considered letting it hang at the scene where they were taking each other's clothes off. I really did. But that would be mean, and I was mean enough by waiting to update this long, so I threw in a little more Literatiness. I also considered dragging them getting together out and making her be "engaged" for a million and a half years, but that would also be mean, and rather nauseating, so instead I threw together a rain storm and some Lit chemistry (hopefully) and here we are. I dislike David entirely too much to let him have something Jess wants. I like for Jess to have what he wants. If I ruled the world Jess would be real and the king of it and he would have everything he wanted. He would be spoiled, but that's okay. He gorgeous, and why not spoiled the handsome one?  
I had dreams about Milo and The WB all night last night. I saw his new Bedford Diaries image campaign thing but an extended version, and words kept going across the screen.. or my head... whatever. It was weird, but Milo was there, so I have no complaints! )  
Anyhoo, I know I don't deserve it, but I would very much love the feedback, and if not for me, do it for Jess. points to Jess He wants you to review and tell me what you thought of this chapter. Really, he does. And I promise not to do the ridiculous updating thing. Like I said, Jin's coming to see me, so I won't be able to update then, but maybe I'll type up a chapter before she gets here, or at least some. If I finish then I can update while she's here, because obviously it only takes a minute to upload it to the site. Anyhoo, once again, sorry I took so long to update, but I finally threw Rory and Jess together, so that helps you forgive me, right? I hope I didn't rush it. I know this is the ninth chapter, but... yeah. Anyhoo, thanks so much to my faithful reviewers. It was, in the end, the terrible guilt of not updating that made me update. And I'm sorry I haven't finished any of my stories. I will finish this one soonish, I promise. It won't be another stupid year. I will update again. I'm already working on it. And I watched Here Comes the Son last night, so I'm still sort of in half Gilmore mood and I'll watch some more of my season two and three DVDs later and get more in the mood, and hopefully I'll write another chapter. 


	10. Dinner with the Gilmores

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Gilmore Girls (thank God) but I do own David. However, I'm giving him away to the third person to look at this page. Mighty nice of me, right? 

A/N: See, I told you I would be nice now. :Grin: Jess is back! YaY! Sorry. But I forgot that I could write about my Gilmore universe. I wasn't sure how to write this, I didn't want Lorelai to like Jess suddenly because he had money, so she's not happy about it at first. Maybe not later. Don't know. I haven't made it to later yet. But at first she's going to be pretty unhappy about it. I watched Swan Song, and I can't figure out why I was so hard on Jess when I watched it. rory was the one that screwed that dinner up, and I got mad at Jess. I am so fickle. Why did she have to keep bringing the black eye up in front of her grandmother? I am now annoyed, but don't worry, I won't take it out on this Rory, i'll just add it to the list of why I hate the real Rory. I am so mad about this. Watch Swan Song. I cannot believe I missed that. I was mad at Jess for leaving, but he was actually trying to make a good impression! I feel guilty. I'm mean. Why did I naturally blame Jess? I love Jess. Look at my penname, for goodness sakes! You know what, I don't hate Rory anymore. I mean, I don't hate her for season four-five. Jess deserved better, and now I'm just mad that he kept coming back for more. I better stop watching Swan Song before I back out on that promise to never stop being a lit. I'm not allowed to stop being a lit, I have stories to finish. So I really have to stop watching Swan Song. But I can't seem to turn it off... and I'm only now being reminded how long it's been since I've seen it... Jeeze, I don't know where my brain was when I watched this show... it must have been.. hiding... under the same rock it was hiding under when I thought I was in love with Bob. It's so funny, when the "spell" wears off you can't figure out what you saw there in the first place. I am turning Swan Song off right now. Or after they do that cute little kiss. But then I'm not watching it again. Really.  
I want to date Jess. I wish I never would have said he was a jerk in season three. I'm a jerk for saying that. He was not a jerk. And now I'm sad because I've been a bad Jess fan. But this is the first time in years I've been glad Rory slept with the floppy haired one instead of Jess. Let him deal with her. That's my very un-literati thought of the evening. I don't have to hate Gilmore Girls anymore! YaY! If the show accidentally gets turned on while it's on, and of course, Jessless, that's okay. But I do wish Windward Circle would have made it... I would have loved that show... Oh well, I'll wait for Bedford Diaries.  
Another random thing I realized. The whole scary thunderstorm thing... yeah, not so cute anymore thanks to "Bambi." :Gags:

Jess' publishing company is, of course, based only in my imagination. And it's successful, while i'm at. And all the corporate people get their own unicorns. Well, not really, but it is a successful company, because I said so and I rule the world. If the company actually exists, though, no one told me. And if Jess is actually the CEO, I just got a lot more ambition than I had 10 seconds ago.

I actually didn't realize this chapter was done, save for the last two sentences, so I just added them and here it is!

Thanks so much to my reviewers! You guys rock so much:hugs you all:

* * *

Rory didn't end up getting home until ten o' clock that night, becuse everytime she tried to leave Jess convinced her to stay a little longer. Then at eight they ended up back in bed, and she got too relaxed while cuddling and fell asleep. She didn't wake up until 9:50 and then she had to practically run home. She snuck in, gently closing the door behind her, and looked around. Hopefully her mom was upstairs and David... well, she really didn't care where he was, because she didn't want to see him.  
Lorelai walked down the stairs at the exact moment Rory was walking by and she turned to her mother, hoping she didn't look like a deer in the headlights.  
"You're home. It's about time." Lorelai walked down stairs and planted her hands on her hips, trying not to look as irritated as she was. "So, where have you been?"

"Out," Rory said.

"Wow, you're even communicating like him. Tell me, do you have your Metallica shirt stashed in your suitcase?"

Rory sighed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Jess. I'm talking about Jess, Rory. David, the man you're supposed to be marrying, left. He went back to New York."

Rory frowned. "What?"

"Yeah, but you don't know that because you were off avoiding him, probably with Jess."

"I was not out to avoid David. My world does not revolve around him."

Lorelai nodded. "Where's your ring, Rory?"

Rory looked down and covered her hand. She had been in such a hurry leaving that she forgot to get her ring.

"Where were you guys? You weren't in town or I would have heard about it."

"We met at the bridge and it started raining."

"Okay, so it starts raining and instead of coming home you... what?"

"It was raining too hard to come home."

"Ever heard of a car?"

"Jess flew and I came with David, although clearly that was not a good idea. I didn't have a car."

"I know Stars Hollow's a small town, but we do have a taxi cab. You could have called a cab."

"Mom, there was no reason to call a cab."

"Okay, but, see, it quit raining hours ago, and you just got home. So where were you?"

"I... was with Jess."

"Of course you were with Jess. Where were you and Jess?" she asked, shaking her head.

Rory swallowed and then making sure not to look down she said, "At the Dragonfly."

Lorelai seemed to brace herself. "At the Dragonfly?"

"Yes."

"Visiting Desdemona?" she asked hopefully.

"No. Visitng Jess."

"With tea and cookies?"

Rory sighed. "No, Mom."

"You're engaged, Rory," Lorelai said, shaking her head.

"Not anymore," Rory said.

Lorelai sighed. "Have you thought about this at all?"

"I've been thinking about it all evening. He wants a relationship, too, Mom."

"What about David, Rory?"

"Well, I'm sorry about that, but I knew Jess first and I loved Jess first, and if I were to be honest about it I guess I never really stopped. I was just hurt and upset that he left. But he's back and he's even willing to move to New York so we can be together."

"Did you sleep with him?" Lorelai asked.

Rory glanced sideways and then looked at her mother. "Yes."

Lorelai sighed. "So, it's a done deal then?"

"Yes. He's going back to California to take care of things, he has to arrange for the head guy in New York to relocate to California and he has to teach him what he has to do. He has a brother and sister, and he has to convince his sister that if he moves to New York he will not forget about her and the world will not end." She smiled. "They're really close. She likes to read. He told me when he first got there he met her in a cabinet reading a book. His dad runs a hot dog stand. He said the hot dogs are actually really good. Sasha, that's his step mom, she likes dogs, and he said she has like a zoo full of them. He's going to have his friend Karen watch the bookstore. She's just a friend though, not a girlfriend."

"Friend not girlfriend, got it."

"And... he has a three bedroom home thing in New York, so that's where he's going to stay. He said the second bedroom is like a library with a bed in the middle."

"Sounds like your kind of room."

"He said Lily wanted to see it too."

"Who's Lily?"

"His sister. Well, she's really his step sister, but he said they're close. He told me that when he first got there she was kind of shy with him, but by the time he got a roomie and a new place to stay she didn't want him to leave and she was attatched to his hip. He said she actually went out on the Boardwalk to follow him."

"That's nice."

"It is. He said his first place was a nightmare though. It was a rental home and there were no bedrooms, so they had to sleep on dirty mattresses in the living room. It was green and there was no yard, but he spent most of his time with Carl at the bookstore anyway. Sometimes Lily would come up to the bookstore with him and sit in the corner and read a book."

"Who's Carl?"

"He was the owner of Jess' company and the owner of the bookstore. He only kept it going because it was a family thing. He's the one that left the company to Jess when he died."

"Wow, someone trusted Jess with a company? He must have been senile."

"He was very much in his right mind, thank you, he just saw something good in Jess that a lot of other people missed. Jess went to college, too. He has a bachelor's degree."

"Wonderful."

"He isn't the kid who left, Mom."

"I hope not, because you're giving up the life you had planned for him, and if he is like the kid who left he's going to do just that, leave, and then what will you have? Not Jess, not David, no one. Just like with Dean. He wins and then he leaves."

"He isn't going to do that again. He regrets it."

"He should regret it," Lorelai said.

"Look, I don't want to argue with you about Jess. I won't argue with you about Jess. We're going to be together and I hope you can accept that, but if you can't... well, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to let you ruin this for me. I'm happy that I'm with Jess again, and there is no reason I shouldn't be. Like Jess said, I'm not married yet."

"Oh, right, if Jess said it..." Lorelai rolled her eyes.

Rory shook her head. "Good night, Mom," she said, walking to her room and shutting the door.

* * *

Things got worse when Emily called to discuss Rory's wedding dress. Apparently if Rory wanted a good dress she needed to pick it now, and it didn't matter if no date was set, as long as Rory didn't gain any weight. Rory knew she should tell Emily about David, but she didn't know how, and she didn't want to, so she figured she would wait until she was back in New York, and then she would call. Emily asked Rory over for lunch to go over the wedding dress designs. Rory didn't want to go. She didn't want to tell her grandmother she broke off her engagement with perfect David for Jess, the "thug" that Emily hated. Rory stalled and turned to her mother to plead for help with an excuse, but Lorelai whispered, "If you're ashamed of Jess maybe you shouldn't be dating him."

Rory frowned and said, "Grandma, I know I told you David and I were engaged, but... it isn't working out at all and we just decided to put a stop to it before anything went any farther."

"What?" Emily exclaimed. "Why? Did something happen?"

"Um, well... it just isn't working out. We just aren't going to see each other anymore."

"Whyever not?"

"Honestly?"

"Of course honestly, I don't want you to lie to me."

Lorelai shook her head and made the cutting motion but Rory just waved her off. "Okay, well, I'm... interested in seeing someone else, and he's interested in seeing me and I don't think that those feelings are proper for being engaged, so I'm not engaged anymore. That was... a mistake."

"Who are you seeing? You've been in town, so it has to be someone local. Or has this been going on for a long time?"

"No, it hasn't been going on. It's an ex boyfriend. Do you remember Jess?"

"Jess?" Emily repeated dumbly.

"Yes, Jess, he was my boyfriend and he... went to Califronia and I ran into him and we've decided that it was a huge mistake to break up in the first place, so we're going to start seeing each other again."

Emily missed a beat. "It seems rather sudden."

"It is sort of sudden, but it's something we've been wanting for years. The whole seperation was stupid. We've just decided to try to sort of pick up where we left off."

"And he's in town?"

"Yes."

"Good. Why don't you bring him over?"

Rory's eyes widened. "Um, I'm not... entirely sure that's a good idea."

"Of course it's a good idea."

"Jess is very busy, I don't think he would have time. He has a conference or... something, I'm not sure, but I really don't think he could make it."

"Well, you'll be seeing him again, won't you?"

"Well, yes, but that's here, and he's staying here, so it's much more convenient."

"That's fine then, I can come there," Emily said. "I haven't been to Luke's in quite some time. When do you think he'll be able to come?"

"In Stars Hollow?" Rory asked.

"Of course."

Lorelai shot Rory a wide eyed look and Rory bit her lip. "You know what, maybe he can push that conference back," Rory said. "Jess is very successful now, Grandma, and I'm sure if I asked him... he could find the time."

"Wonderful! I'll tell our cook to add an extra setting."

Rory quickly said her goodbyes and then hung up, hiding her face in her hands. "Jess is going to kill me."

Lorelai smiled. "Can I watch when you tell him?"

Rory shot her mother a look. "No."

"Please? I'll give you a stale pretzel."

Rory frowned. "Was that supposed to be motivation?"

"We only have stale pretzels. But Luke has these disgusting oat things, I'll give you one of them."

Rory sighed. "I have to go schmooze."

"Let me watch, I can bring popcorn and one of those big fingers and I'll root for you."

"Mom."

"Come on. It was so much fun last time."

"No," Rory said sternly.

"You're very mean to the woman who gave birth to you."

"Sorry."

"Will you at least take a picture of the expression on his face?"

"No."

"Use a tape recorder?"

"No."

"Rory," she whined.

"I have to go," Rory said, grabbing her purse. "I will not tape, take pictures or do any other sort of reproduction."

"Maybe when you get back you could reenact it with puppets," Lorelai suggested with a smile.

"No."

Lorelai frowned. "Mean."

"Good bye," Rory said, offering a wave.

"Take notes," Lorelai called after her.

Rory shook her head and walked down the steps on the porch.

* * *

Rory showed up at Jess' room and he greeted her with a smile. "Hey."

She smiled and gave him a kiss. "Hey."

He invited her in. "What have you been doing?" he asked.

"Oh, not much. I actually came by to ask you a favor."

"Okay. What's that?"

"You'll still be here tomorrow night, right?"

"Yeah, I can," he said.

"And you can be free to go somewhere?"

"Sure. Why?"

"Well, we have to go to my grandmother's for dinner and I thought I could get out of telling her about the breaking of the engagement until I was in New York and we were safely hidden away from her, but she wanted to pick out wedding dresses, so I sort of had to tell her, and I told her that we wanted to date again, and... she sort of wanted me to invite you to dinner."

"Got that conference in London," he said.

"Jess."

"And September Blackberries, Micheal is feeling very neglected."

"I know it won't be fun, but it will go better this time. You're older, more mature, no black eye."

"Rory, your grandmother hates me."

"No, she used to hate you."

"Yeah, and then I ditched her granddaughter and ran to the other end of the country, clearly she has reason to approve of me now."

"Well... Okay, that wasn't exactly a brownie point thing, but it would work out this time. She'll like you."

"Tell her I couldn't get out of work."

"I already sort of told her you could."

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "When do I have to pick you up?"

She smiled and kissed him again. "Seven o' clock. Thank you."

"You're welcome. But you owe me now."

"I'll make it up to you."

"Uh huh."

"I will," she insisted. "Just... don't get a black eye, please."

"Stay away from swans, got it," he said with a smirk.

"What?"

"Long story. Better things to do," he said, pulling her into a kiss. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

* * *

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Could you two _be_ more disgusting?"

Jess smirked. "I can do anything I put my mind to."

Rory grinned and glanced down at their entwined hands. "We're not being that bad. You should see us when we're alone. We call each other cutesy names."

"We do?" Jess asked.

"Of course we do, Sugar Lips."

Jess smirked. "How could I forget Sugar Lips?"

She shook her head, pretending to be deeply disappointed. "I don't know. I must not be very important to you."

"You're right, that must be why I'm moving my entire life to New York," he said sarcastically.

She smiled. "Of course it is. If you cared about me you would stay in California."

He leaned in and kissed her right by the ear. "But then I couldn't do that."

"Aw, maybe God does answer prayers," Lorelai said with a sweet smile.

Rory smiled and leaned against Jess.

"Guess what, Pretty Woman, you get to ring the doorbell," Lorelai said to Jess.

Jess rolled his eyes. "I'm scared."

"You should be. Four out of five people that enter this house do not come back out."

Jess looked at Rory before ringing the bell. "Around how much does your grandmother remember about that last visit?"

"She still brings it up every Thanksgiving," Rory said with a nod.

"Huh." He shrugged and pushed the doorbell. "I'll have to try to do a little better this time."

"Well, you don't have a black eye, so that's a good start."

"Yeah, just don't tell her about the time you spent in jail and maybe flash your wallet occasionally and you should be pretty much good," Lorelai said.

Jess frowned but before he could respond the door opened and there stood Emily Gilmore.

"Dun dun dun," Lorelai said.

Rory rolled her eyes at her mother and smiled at Emily. "Hi, Grandma."

"Hello, Rory," she greeted warmly, then looked over at Jess. "You must be Jess."

He nodded. "Hello, Mrs. Gilmore."

"Hello. Well, come in," Emily said, backing up.

Lorelai and Luke followed Rory and Jess in and Lorelai grinned at Rory. "Tell Jess to break something."

Rory shot Lorelai a look and looped her left arm through Jess' right. He glanced over at her and smiled, lightly touching her hand before letting his left arm fall back to his side.

"I wish I had known ahead of time you were coming," Emily was saying, "I would have asked your meal preferences."

"Oh, I'm not picky," Jess said.

Emily glanced at the arm Rory had linked through his and then made eye contact with Jess and smiled. "Well, good. Do you like salmon?"

He nodded, lying through his teeth. "Yes."

Rory bit her lip and sent him an apologetic smile.

"Good," Emily said with a smile. "If you would come and sit down, Rory, dear, I have something I wanted to show you."

"Oh. Okay." Rory and Jess walked in and took a seat side by side, Lorelai and Luke sitting down on a seperate piece of furniture.

"Nice couch, Mom," Lorelai replied, looking down at the antique couch she was sitting on.

"I've had it for two months, Lorelai," Emily replied.

"Oh. Well, I just sat on it."

"I'm aware of that, Lorelai." Emily picked up a booklet and handed it to Rory with a sweet, grandmotherly smile. "There you go. Miss Selene compiled this for you."

"Miss Selene?" Lorelai asked, eyes widening. "What could Miss Selene possibly have to give Rory?"

Emily just smiled and watched Rory open the book.

Rory's jaw dropped in mute horror and she snapped the book shut, wanting to glance at Jess to make sure he hadn't seen, but not able to look in case he did. "Um, Grandma, I don't really need this at the moment."

"Well, I know that now, but she gave it to me when you were engaged to David."

Rory felt the muscles in Jess' arm tighten next to her and she fought the urge to grimace.

"I thought I would give it to you anyway. You never know what will happen. David seemed a very nice man."

"Mom," Lorelai said, giving her a look. "I really doubt Rory and _Jess_," she said, emphasising Jess, "want to talk about him."

Emily raised her eyebrows in feigned innocence. "I know that, Lorelai, I was only making an observation."

Lorelai looked at the book and said quietly, "Wedding dresses, right?"

Rory nodded.

Lorelai nodded and sighed. "Oh, Mom, you should really try new ways of trying to force us into marriage." She glanced over at Rory and Jess as if they were talking about the weather or a movie. "She did the same thing when I was pregnant with you and she wanted me to marry Chris. Miss Selene was the same age, too. I think she's a witch."

"Who's Miss Selene?" Jess asked Rory.

Emily answered. "Miss Selene is- was going to make Rory's wedding gown."

Rory swallowed, looking away, wondering if she could make it to the door without the maid tackling her.

Jess merely smiled coolly at Emily and wrapped an arm around Rory. "She's right, you should keep it for future reference. You never do know what's going to happen."

Emily's eyes widened and her smile tightened, as he had been looking directly at her while he said it.

Lorelai smiled reluctantly at Jess.

Emily's haughty gaze briefly raked over Jess. "Rory tells me you had some sort of business conference. I hope I'm not cutting into your time."

"Not at all," he replied. "It's just as easy to have the conference over the phone and I have to deal with less people."

She smiled a tight smile. "What is it you do? I'm not sure Rory's told me, but then you haven't been together very long, have you?" she asked rhetorically.

"I'm the CEO of Waltman's Publishing Company," he replied.

"Yeah, they're like Bantam and Signet," Lorelai chimed in.

Jess raised an eyebrow in her direction and smirked. "Thank you, it's always good to know you have to mention the competition to know the company."

She smiled cheerfully. "No problem."

Rory rolled her eyes. "She's just trying to annoy you. We've bought all kinds of books that your company printed."

"I'm sure Carl would be happy to hear that," he said with a little smile.

"You should me, you're the CEO," she told him with a smile.

"You're the CEO?" Emily asked, raising her eyebrows.

He nodded. "Yes."

"Who's Carl?"

"He owned the company before he passed away and I took over."

"I see. So you actually own the company?" she asked, her raised eyebrows somehow seeming more sincere.

"Yes, I own the company," Jess said.

Emily looked at Lorelai. "You didn't tell me that."

"Sorry, the private eye I hired to check him out was dumb, he actually thought Jess was the janitor," Lorelai said with a rueful nod.

Emily rolled her eyes and then turned her attention back to Jess. "How old is your company?"

"It's been going since 1879."

Her eyebrows lifted again. "Really? It's established then?"

He nodded mutely, his lips pressed into a firm line.

Emily looked up as Richard entered the room and she smiled, standing. "Richard, meet Jess, Rory's new boyfriend." She turned and beamed a smile at Jess, then turned back to Richard, stating, "He's the CEO of Waltman's Publishing Company."

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Really? Didn't they just publish that book by that rock star, the controvertial one with the name of a vegetable?"

"Carrot Top," Lorelai chimed.

Jess didn't bother acknowledging Lorelai, merely nodded at Richard.

"Good company. It was absolute rubbish, sold tons of copies I believe," Richard said with a little nod, stepping forward as Jess stood up and shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you, Jess."

"The pleasure's mine, Mr. Gilmore," he replied automatically.

"Good handshake," Richard said, slanting a small smile in Rory's direction.

Rory smiled and nodded, taking that as approval from him.

Then Emily smiled brightly. "Shall we go in to the dining room? Dinner will be done in a few minutes and the food will get cold if we don't start eating our salads soon."

Everyone stood and Rory smiled and gave Jess' arm a little squeeze. He offered a small smile in return and escorted her to the dining room.

* * *

"Wow, that was actually amusing," Lorelai stated as she sat her purse on the coffee table.

Jess was sitting on the couch next to Rory, loosening his tie. "Oh yeah, very amusing," he said dryly.

"What are muttering about? They loved you," Rory said.

"No, your grandpa loved me, your grandma just loved Carl's company," he replied.

"Well," she said, rolling her eyes slightly and leaning into his side, prompting him to wrap his arm around her, "either way, she approves."

"It was fun watching you purchase Emily Gilmore," Lorelai said, smiling down at Jess. "I wish I had it on tape. You schmoozed."

"I did not schmooze," he said, rolling his eyes.

"You totally schmoozed. I've never seen you schmooze before, and I can't decide if I'm more amused or disturbed. When you started talking about the yacht I thought I might die right then and there, and I probably would have if it wouldn't have made me miss dessert."

Jess shot her a look. "Well, it worked, didn't it? She was ready to welcome me into the family by the time they brought out the soup."

Lorelai scoffed. "Welcome you? By the time we got to the main course I think she would have unrepentantly abducted you and forced you into the family. I was sitting there wondering who you were and what you did with my daughter's rebel without a cause boyfriend."

He shrugged insolently. "I left him back at the inn, he wasn't such a hit last time."

"My fault," Rory admitted.

"Oh well. Last time she never would have made that parting remark about what beautfiul coloring our children will have," Jess said, smirking at her.

She blushed. "I can't believe she said that."

"Why not?" he asked, playfully putting a hand on her stomach. "We already had the little Jess discussion, I thought we were in agreement."

Rory blushed and smiled at the same time, placing her hand over his hand and moving it. "You're making Luke blush."

Luke was indeed flushed, and he muttered something about changing clothes before escaping up the stairs.

"Okay, stop being gross," Lorelai said. "I have to go pick up Will from Sookie's house. Can I leave you two unsupervised?"

Rory smiled. "Very funny."

"I'm serious. I cannot leave you two on that couch if you're feeling cozy. I mean, Luke and I fell victim to that couch's innocent facade, but let me tell you..." She grinned and wiggled her eyebrows. "Well, I'll never think of the couch the same way."

Jess grimaced and immediately stood up while Rory stood, wrinkled up her nose at her mother and said, "That is not funny."

"We can pick up Will if you want," Jess offered.

Lorelai raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"Well, I have to leave anyway, I could pick him up and bring him back if you want."

Lorelai frowned and pressed the back of her hand to Jess' forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"

He moved back, giving her a look. "I'm fine, Mom."

She scowled at him. "Watch it, mister. I am not so easily won over as Emily Gilmore."

Jess raised his eyebrows. "Do you want me to pick him up or not? I'm about to take back the offer."

"I take it you're spending the night with him?" Lorelai asked, looking at Rory.

Rory nodded. "Yes."

Lorelai nodded. "Well... yeah, that would be nice. Thank you, Jess."

"You're welcome." He nodded at Rory. "I'm going to go to the car."

"I'll be right out," Rory said.

He nodded and walked out the door. Rory sighed and looked at her mother. "See, I told you everything would work out. Grandma and Grandpa loved him."

"Grandma loves his money," Lorelai amended.

"Well, yeah," Rory admitted. "But Grandpa loves him. I knew Grandpa would love Jess. They have the same taste in books, and now they can talk business. I just knew they would get along. And look, everything worked out with Grandma. Maybe she didn't accept him for the right reasons, but she did accept him."

Lorelai nodded. "I know."

Rory picked up her purse, putting it on her shoulder. "You might want to take some hints," she suggested. "Everybody else approves."

Lorelai pouted dramatically and Rory just smiled, shook her head, and waved as she walked out the door, calling out a farewell.

Lorelai sighed. "I think I liked him better when he vandalized books," Lorelai muttered.

* * *

A/N: And then there was none.  
Review please! Let me know what you thought:Grin: 


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